‘History will not be kind...’

BUSINESS leaders, politicians and journalists had their say on the fast-moving events leading up to the vote

■ Adam Marshall, director general of British Chambers of Commerce: “History will not be kind to those who prioritise political advantage over people’s livelihoods. Businesses need politicians, regardless of party or views on Brexit, to understand that their highstakes gambles have real-world consequences of the highest order.”

■ Tory grandee Kenneth Clarke: “At a time of grave national crisis on an issue that we all agree is hugely important to future generation, can the Prime Minister think of anything more unhelpful, irrelevant and irresponsible that for the Conservative Party to embark on weeks of a Conservative leadership election?”

■ Carl Dinnen, political correspondent ITV News: “One MP comes out and says the Prime Minister has promised not to lead the Party into the next election and ‘some Ministers are crying in there’”.

■ Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire and a contender in the 2016 leadership race Theresa May won, said: “MPs trying to oust Prime Minister are in danger of badly misjudging mood of the country. It is a reckless course which does nothing to make Brexit easier to deliver.”

■ Chairman of the Welsh Conservatives and former MP Byron Davies tells ITV Cymru Wales’ political editor Adrian Masters: “I should think people in Wales are fairly fed up with all this nonsense.”