Don’t rock the boat, Boris, or we’ll all sink

AN EXTRAORDINARY, inflammatory briefing from Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s camp threatens to destroy the fragile peace so recently achieved by the Prime Minister.

It was directed against the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, whose response has so far been steely but restrained, but inevitably it was also bound to damage Downing Street.

Do those involved – and it is reasonable to assume that Mr Johnson is – not understand the dangers they are courting? Do they place their ambitions so high that they would put Jeremy Corbyn in office rather than exercise self-restraint?

Mrs May, with some skill and thought, had found a formula to reassure leavers and remainers. Until last night, her speech in Florence had been counted a modest but definite success. She is now doing what this newspaper has long urged, seeking to respect both sides in the referendum vote, while democratically implementing the will of the majority.

Brexit is still on course, but the likelihood of a damaging cliff-edge departure has been much reduced thanks to a twoyear delay. Mr Johnson had sought and failed to sink this frail but necessary craft before it was launched. Now he is rocking the Government boat so violently that it could go under after all. Of course Mrs May should seek to stop this, but in these unique circumstances, she cannot be expected to do so alone.

The rest of her Cabinet, regardless of which side they take in the Brexit controversy, need to rally behind her. The reason for this is devastatingly simple. If the Government – on the eve of a crucial Tory conference – descends into brawling and sniping, it cannot long survive.

The people of this country want and need reassurance. The global money markets, which are already looking askance at our economy and lowering our credit rating, will punish us severely if we descend into instability.

And then there will be a real prospect of a Corbyn Government, ushered into power by a split and warring Tory Party unable to inspire confidence or hold to a set course.

This simply cannot be allowed to happen. Mr Johnson himself must grasp that his selfish tactics are not the path to power, but the path to impotent and irrelevant Opposition, for which he will not readily be forgiven.