Tory rebels plot to thwart a No Deal exit Look out Boris, the Gaukeward squad are on the warpath...
TORY rebels including David Gauke and Philip Hammond vowed to fight No Deal ‘every inch of the way’ yesterday in a clear warning shot at Boris Johnson.
MPs passed an amendment designed to stop the next Prime Minister from being able to suspend Parliament to ensure Brexit happens by October 31.
Seventeen Tories defied the Government to back the move, including Margot James, who resigned as a junior minister.
And four Cabinet ministers – including Justice Secretary Mr Gauke, Chancellor Mr Hammond, Business Secretary Greg Clark and International Development Secretary Rory Stewart – abstained despite a three-line whip ordering them to vote against. The Commons backed the move by 315 votes to 274, a majority of 41.
The defeat not only makes it more difficult for Mr Johnson to force through No Deal should he become the next PM but it also shows the strength of the Tory rebellion against such a move.
Mr Gauke, Mr Clark, Mr Hammond and Mr Stewart – who have been dubbed the ‘Gaukeward Squad’ – are all expected to return to the backbenches if Mr Johnson becomes leader, where they could become a thorn in his side.
Mr Hammond said last night that the next Prime Minister will have his support if they are ‘genuinely seeking’ a deal with Brussels, but warned: ‘If not I’ll fight against No Deal every inch of the way.’
Downing Street said Theresa May was ‘disappointed’ that ministers including Mr Hammond had failed to support the Government, but she refused to sack them.
A No 10 spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister is obviously disappointed that a number of ministers failed to vote in this afternoon’s division and issued a warning to the MPs over whether
‘They should all be fired’
their roles will still be available under her successor.
‘No doubt her successor will take this into account when forming their Government.’
Miss James, who quit as a minister in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to vote for the amendment, said the rebellion was just the start of plans to stop Mr Johnson being able to force through No Deal.
She said she thought ‘ quite a number of people’ would quit the Government and do ‘everything they can with myself and others to make sure we leave with a deal’ if he wins the contest.
She told BBC2’s Newsnight: ‘The fact that Boris Johnson ... is not ruling out proroguing Parliament, I felt that this time that rather than just abstain I would vote for the amendments that will make it more difficult.’
Mr Johnson’s rival for the Tory leadership Jeremy Hunt also failed to vote, having mistakenly thought he had been ‘paired’ with an opposition MP, and apologised.
Mr Hammond defended his decision to rebel on Twitter last night, writing: ‘The Conservative Party has always, at its core, had a fundamental belief in the importance of strong institutions – and in a representative democracy there can be no more vital institution than its Parliament.
‘It should not be controversial to believe that Parliament be allowed to sit, and have a say, during a key period in our country’s history.’
But he faced a backlash from Tory Brexiteers. Colin Clark, one of Mr Johnson’s supporters, criticised Mrs May’s decision not to sack the rebels, saying: ‘They should all be fired. This is a team game.’
And Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: ‘I can’t understand why my colleagues are voting with Jeremy Corbyn on this. Do they want a hard-Left government to take control of their country? If they hated the prospect of delivering the referendum result, why did they vote for Article 50 in the first place?’