Where’s Boris? Rebel Johnson ridiculed over Afghan jaunt
BORIS Johnson was widely mocked last night after he ducked the vote on the Heathrow expansion that he had vowed to fight.
The Foreign Secretary, who pledged in 2015 to lie down in ‘front of the bulldozers’ to prevent a third runway, made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to avoid last night’s crunch Commons vote on the issue.
Criticism of Mr Johnson was boiling over at the debate in the Commons yesterday. Shouts of ‘Where’s Boris?’ could be heard from the Labour benches as Greg Hands, who resigned over the issue, rose to give his speech.
Chancellor Philip Hammond, who once opposed Heathrow expansion, also missed the vote by taking a trip to India.
But Mr Hammond made it clear he now supported the project, leaving Mr Johnson to field the bulk of the criticism.
Theresa May, another former critic of expansion, voted for the project.
In a letter to Tory councillors in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, Mr Johnson yesterday acknowledged he was leaving the country in order to avoid having to make a choice between supporting the Heathrow plans or resigning.
He said his resignation would have achieved ‘ absolutely nothing’ – and suggested it was being encouraged by political enemies.
But senior Tories warned his reputation – and leadership hopes – had been damaged by his decision to skip the vote.
Theresa May had ordered a
‘Couldn’t be more contrived’
I will lie down with you in front of those bulldozers and stop the building, stop the construction of that third runway Boris Johnson’s pledge in 2015
three-line whip, meaning Government members would have to either knuckle under or resign.
The move was thrown into sharp relief last week by the resignation of trade minister Mr Hands, who had campaigned alongside Mr Johnson for years against the project.
When asked whether Mr Johnson was ‘running away’ yesterday, Mr Hands replied: ‘That’s a question for others.’
But former minister Robert Halfon yesterday said it would be ‘a good thing’ if the Foreign Secretary resigned, adding: ‘He would be respected by his constituents.
‘If he’s made promises to his constituents he needs to explain to them why he’s not able to be at the vote.’
Asked about Mr Johnson’s chances of becoming Prime Minister, one minister said: ‘Greg Hands effectively killed it last week.’ Last night, Labour MP Christian Matheson asked Speaker John Bercow: ‘Have you had any indication from the Foreign Secretary whether he will be back in time for Foreign Office questions tomorrow?’
Mr Bercow replied: ‘Surprise, surprise, the right honourable gentleman has not communicated with me today and I feel sure he has other pressing matters on his agenda.’
Mrs May’s official spokesman declined to comment in detail about Mr Johnson’s whereabouts, but added: ‘You’re asking me the question, “is the Foreign Secretary an honourable man,” and the answer is yes.’
In his statement to local councillors yesterday, Mr Johnson said: ‘I have long been an opponent of a third runway at Heathrow and that is why I am not voting for it tonight.
‘Some of my critics have suggested that I should resign over the issue. But it is clear from what is likely to be a large majority of MPs who are in favour of a third runway that my resignation would have achieved absolutely nothing.’
The Foreign Office said his visit to Afghanistan, during which he met President Ashraf Ghani, was designed to ‘support signs of progress’.
But one Cabinet source said Mr Johnson’s trip ‘couldn’t be more contrived’.
Officials declined to comment on the cost of the visit. But with a business class ticket to Kabul costing more than £4,000, the bill for Mr Johnson and his team is likely to run into many thousands of pounds.
When Mr Johnson was first elected MP for his west London constituency in 2015, he pledged to shadow chancellor John McDonnell: ‘ I will lie down with you in front of those bulldozers and stop the building, stop the construction of that third runway.’