Joint ticket of Boris and Rudd would unite party, Rees-mogg believes
BORIS JOHNSON could unite the Conservative Party and win the next general election, Jacob Rees-mogg has said, as he gave a clear hint that Eurosceptics would back the former foreign secretary in a leadership contest.
Mr Rees-mogg, the chairman of the European Research Group of Conservative Brexiteers, said Mr Johnson was “very much in the middle” of the party on domestic issues, meaning he could win support from both wings once Brexit had been settled.
He also expressed strong support for Europhile Amber Rudd, who is tipped to be Mr Johnson’s running mate on a “Bamber” dream ticket, saying she had “first class capabilities”.
Mr Rees-mogg is seen as a kingmaker in the next leadership contest, having said he will not be among the candidates. He is in a position to influence about 80 members of the ERG, whose votes could be decisive.
If several Eurosceptic candidates run for leader, they would risk splitting the vote, paving the way for a soft Brexiteer such as Jeremy Hunt or Michael Gove to sweep to power.
If, on the other hand, Brexiteers coalesce around one candidate, such as Mr Johnson, Dominic Raab, Liz Truss, Penny Mordaunt, Andrea Leadsom or Esther Mcvey, they would stand a much greater chance of forcing a runoff that would enable the wider party membership to pick a winner.
Theresa May has said she will stand down as soon as a Brexit deal is passed.
Mr Rees-mogg said: “I think it is now legitimate to be discussing the various abilities of the various potential candidates. I think very highly of Boris Johnson, who managed to win in London twice in a Labour area, has a great connection with voters, is a clear Eurosceptic but otherwise is very much in the middle of the Conservative party.
“He’s not particularly a factional character beyond the European issue and therefore I think could unite the party and win elections, but we are lucky, we have many good candidates.”
Asked if he would support a Boris/ Amber Rudd ticket, nicknamed “Bamber”, he told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “I’ve always thought highly of Amber Rudd and she is a very longstanding friend of my sister’s, as it happens, and a person of first class capabilities. I happen to disagree with her on the European issue and there will come a time … when there are other things to talk about than Europe and at that point we will need all the talents that are arrayed within the Tory party and not just those of Brexiteers.”
Ms Leadsom suggested she will run again for the Tory leadership and will be better prepared this time around after coming second to Mrs May in 2016.
Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, burnished her own leadership appeal to Brexiteers by saying that a long extension to Article 50 would be “purgatory”.
Justine Greening, the former education secretary, said she would consider running if she did not feel the Tory centre ground was represented.