Johnson is a bully and not fit to lead

POLITICAL parties need to have a range of people within them who don’t necessarily agree about everything.

For many years, the Conservative Party has been dominated by the European question.

Sometimes the disputes between the pro-EU and anti-EU factions have been largely hidden from public gaze, but since the 2016 referendum when those against the EU won, the atmosphere in the party has become increasingly febrile.

Boris Johnson’s warning to those of his MPs who oppose a no-deal Brexit that they will be deselected and banned from standing as Tory candidates at the next election is the most hostile action to be contemplated through all the years of disagreements.

While driven nearly to despair by the Eurosceptics he eventually

referred to as bastards, John Major didn’t threaten them with deselection. Instead, he resigned as party leader and challenged them to stand against him. John Redwood resigned as Welsh Secretary to oppose Mr Major, to whom he lost heavily. But nearly 25 years later Mr Redwood remains in the Commons as a veteran Brexiteer whose observations are frequently sought by the media.

Mr Johnson’s threat to end the careers of those MPs in his Parliamentary group who cannot support no-deal is a shocking example of political bullying, and should be resisted strongly. He has demonstrated that he only wants the most extreme kind of Brexiteer on the Tory benches: those who show any independence of spirit will be disposed of.

If he succeeds, Mr Johnson will have demonstrated that the Conservative Party is no longer a broad church, and that swivel-eyed and unthinking loyalty is a prerequisite for admission to its group of MPs.

All right-thinking people must deplore this, wherever they may be on the political spectrum.

Parliament needs to be diverse, and it needs to have mavericks who will not slavishly support the diktats of party leaders.

Those who put themselves forward to lead their party must have an inclusive approach. If they act like bullies, they will quickly lose the respect of those whose support they seek.

In his short period in office so far, Mr Johnson has shown himself to be an unfit leader.

Those within his own party who challenge his espousal of a no-deal Brexit are performing a public service and deserve the support of all democrats.