Put a sock in it! Ministers told to stop war of words
SQUABBLING ministers were last night told to ‘put a sock in it’ or risk undermining efforts to secure a good Brexit deal.
Senior backbenchers spoke out following a string of public spats involving Cabinet ministers in recent days.
The Government has been rocked by a series of squabbles over Brexit, public spending and tax.
Chancellor Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Business Secretary Greg Clark have all spoken out on Brexit in recent days as they jockey for position ahead of a crunch summit at Chequers next week.
Yesterday the Justice Secretary David Gauke joined in by criticising Mr Johnson for attacking big corporations.
Senior Tory MP Nigel evans said voters were ‘exasperated’ by the lack of discipline in the Government and warned it could threaten the party’s election prospects.
Mr evans, a eurosceptic, said both sides of the debate should ‘put a sock in it’.
He added: ‘From the Cabinet down we need to get behind the PM in these negotiations. These noises off are deeply irritating, whether they come from Boris Johnson or Philip Hammond. The only person enjoying it is Michel Barnier.
‘We have got the best leader, whatever some of these others may think. No-one believes that if Theresa May went the Government would somehow coalesce – forget it.
‘The public are getting exasperated, and we know from history where that will leave us. It’s time to put a sock in it. Socks usually come in pairs, so I would have one for the Brexiteers and one for the Remainers. enough is enough.’
Former Cabinet minister Priti Patel said ‘rogue’ minissels,’ ters on both sides of the Brexit debate were damaging the prospects of a good deal.
‘It looks really incoherent to see people representing Her Majesty’s government airing views that really don’t need to be aired in public when we are in a negotiation with Brus- she said. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson recently launched a high-profile bid for more military spending, with allies briefing that Tory MPs will vote to block the Budget if he does not get his way.
The Prime Minister, who is said to be deeply frustrated by the public rows, appealed for unity at a meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday. Mrs May’s former policy chief George Freeman warned: ‘This is chaos. If we have ministers winning their bids for money on the basis of who has got the biggest headlines we will lose our reputation for financial competence.’
Downing Street yesterday sidestepped questions about divisions. A source said: ‘The Cabinet, from the Prime Minister
‘The public are exasperated’
down, are committed to doing a good job for Britain.’
But, privately, officials believe the outbursts from ministers are the result of the febrile atmosphere ahead of the Chequers summit on July 6, when Mrs May hopes to thrash out a vision for future relations with the eU.
Downing Street yesterday defended the Prime Minister’s plan to ban plastic straws after it was ridiculed by Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, as an example of ministers telling people what to do.
A No 10 source said: ‘We have a 25-year environment plan and the Prime Minister is committed to reducing the harm caused by single-use plastic waste.’