BRANDON LEWIS
CONSERVATIVE CHAIRMAN Brandon Lewis believes there is now a “huge responsibility” on his party to keep Jeremy Corbyn out of Downing Street — and insists that under his watch there is “zero tolerance” of any abuse by members.
Speaking to the JC ahead of next week’s Tory conference in Birmingham, the Minister without Portfolio and MP for Great Yarmouth also rules out suggestions of a snap election that could allow Labour into power sooner rather than later if Theresa May fails to secure a Brexit deal.
Accepting there is real concern within the Jewish community over a Corbyn government, Mr Lewis says: “I think there is a huge responsibility. The core duty of the Conservative Party at the moment is to keep Jeremy Corbyn out of Downing Street. We have got to be very focused. We have got to deliver on Brexit and we’ve also got a domestic agenda to deliver. We
John McDonnell and Diane Abbott must show the British people we’ve got ideas and plans to take the country forward so that we don’t risk Corbyn getting into government.
“Labour’s current front bench are a genuine danger to our country on a whole range of issues — internationally, on security. Diane Abbott wanted to get rid of the security services. The idea of her as Home Secretary, John McDonnell as Chancellor and Corbyn as PM is genuinely scary.”
Mr Lewis is keen to stress that he has devoted himself since landing the chairman’s role in January to what he describes as a “hugely important job”.
“I personally have zero tolerance towards abuse of any kind,” he tells me, clearly aiming to put the Conservative Party on a different level to that of a Labour Party riddled with allegations of antisemitism and misogyny.
“Earlier this year, I went to the Conservative Councillors’ Conference. I made it clear as we launched the respect code — I was very upfront — that we will suspend anyone who goes any near breaching the code.
“I think we
We will not tolerate abuse of any kind’