Hunt’s leadership hint with attack on Corbyn
JEREMY Hunt launched a ferocious assault on Jeremy Corbyn’s economic policies last night in his latest attempt to burnish his Tory leadership credentials.
In a series of angry tweets, the Foreign Secretary hit out at the Labour leader and his ideas for a ‘Marxist’ Britain. In an interview with the New Statesman this week, the Foreign Secretary set out his leadership stall, which is to unite the Conservative party.
He also praised David Cameron as a political ‘genius’ by persuading the country to accept public spending cuts without triggering violent protests.
This prompted Mr Corbyn to write on Twitter: ‘Austerity isn’t a political game. It has serious consequences.’
An angry Mr Hunt shot back: ‘Serious consequences doesn’t come close to describing the devastation your hardLeft policies would wreak on our economy. Read the full quote and you’ll learn about the real consequences of the Conservatives’ economic stewardship: 1,000 extra jobs a day. All of them at risk under your Marxist regime.’
He added: ‘Before you attack me for “austerity” which put the economy back on its feet, perhaps ask why a Labour MP needs a bodyguard at a Labour conference, and your party is under formal investigation for institutional anti-Semitism?’
The wide-ranging attack, which is well outside the brief of Mr Hunt’s foreign affairs role, comes amid claims that his main Tory leadership rival, Boris Johnson, is picking up support.
Mr Hunt’s team believes between 50 and 75 MPs support him, compared to Mr Johnson’s 50. But while Mr Hunt appears to be the leadership frontrunner among MPs, he still trails behind Mr Johnson with party membership.
Many of Mr Hunt’s supporters believe they must eliminate Mr Johnson from the Tory race before the members have their say. Some Brexiteers are suspicious of Mr Hunt as he voted Remain and once called for a second referendum, but now says that he supports Leave. He told the New Statesman he now accepts the necessity of Brexit, and that it must be implemented to prove that Britain is a democracy.
But one senior Conservative MP, a Brexiteer who is considering a leadership bid, said: ‘Of course, he can’t lead the party.’ Referencing Mr Hunt’s previous support for Remain, he added: ‘The next leader will be a Brexiteer.’
But last night a friend of Mr Hunt said: ‘The opposition is Labour and the priority is to deliver Brexit.’