Johnson rallying cry in fierce attack on ‘deranged’ Chequers
BORIS JOHNSON branded Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit policy “deranged and preposterous” yesterday amid speculation he is preparing a bid to replace her.
Prior to a rally tomorrow, the former foreign secretary laid out his vision with a call for the Tories to return to their Conservative roots.
But Mr Johnson reserved his fiercest attack for Mrs May and her Chequers plan for Brexit.
The ex-London Mayor, who resigned from the Cabinet over the issue, sought to contrast his approach with that of the Prime Minister, who campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum.
He said yesterday: “Unlike the Prime Minister, I fought for this, I believe in it… what is happening now is, alas, not what people were promised in 2016.”
He has criticised her Chequers policy over plans for a so-called “common rulebook” with Brussels which ties Britain to European Union law and regulations.
He has claimed that it would turn Britain into an “EU colony”.
Mr Johnson has put his weight behind the Canada-plus trade deal.
Yesterday, he said Chequers was: “Entirely preposterous.
“The idea that we could ask customs officers in Dubrovnik and Santander to charge British-only tariffs is deranged and nobody thinks it can work. There will be economic and political damage to the UK if we go with Chequers.”
The former foreign secretary also pushed for the party to support deregulation amid concerns it is increasingly left-wing.
He said: “I think we need to make the case for markets. I don’t think we should caper insincerely on socialist territory.”
In a barely coded attack on Mrs May, he added: “You can’t beat Corbyn by becoming Corbyn.”
He also issued a rallying cry to party members saying they need to be “proud of being Conservatives”.
Mr Johnson said: “We should be proud of what we stand for, believe in ourselves and believe in our ability to create the wealth to pay for fantastic healthcare services, a fantastic social care, a fantastic NHS.”
However, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson called for “a period of silence” from Mr Johnson, pointing out that he had given his endorsement when in Government to Brexit policies he was now criticising. And former Brexit secretary David Davis, who quit the Cabinet along with Mr Johnson over the Chequers plan, said: “His ideas, I think, are good headlines but not necessarily good policies.”
Tory party members faced calls to vote for the PM to “chuck Chequers” at a fringe meeting today.