Johnson makes bid for PM post

UK, (DAILY MAIL), 18 JANUARY 2019 - Boris Johnson condemned Theresa May for failing to even try and remove the Irish border backstop today as he made a pitch for the Tory leadership.

In a thinly-veiled leadership pitch, Mr Johnson’s wide-ranging speech - hosted by major Tory donor Anthony Bamford - included promises to cut taxes and limit immigration.

The former Foreign Secretary said after Tuesday’s devastating defeat, the Prime Minister should make a ‘final offer’ to the EU of a deal that strips out the border plan and withholds half the £39billion divorce bill until a trade deal is finalised. Mr Johnson said he would be ‘utterly amazed’ if Brussels said no but insisted Britain would flourish even if it had to leave without a deal on March 29 - promising there would still be ‘Mars bars’ and other imports from Europe whatever happened.

As Mrs May continues cross party talks on a Plan B Brexit, Mr Johnson warned her not to concede to a permanent customs union as the price for getting her deal through the Commons.