Boris merely a nicer version of irrelevant Trump, says Clarke
BORIS Johnson is just a “nicer version of Donald Trump”, Ken Clarke said yesterday as he accused rebels backing a potential leadership coup of distracting from the referendum.
The former Tory chancellor branded backbench Conservatives who went public with calls for a no-confidence vote in the Prime Minister “completely unhelpful”.
He also claimed the Out campaign was pushing a “leadership bid” for Mr Johnson and the former London mayor should “go away for a bit” after the campaign.
It marks the second personal attack by a Tory grandee on Mr Johnson, after Lord Heseltine questioned his leadership credentials and came as Eurosceptic Tories threatened to force a string of defeats on the Prime Minister if he wins the referendum.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Clarke said: “I think Boris and Donald Trump should go away for a bit and enjoy themselves and not get in the way of serious issues which modern countries in the 21st century face.
“He’s a much nicer version of Donald Trump, but the campaign is remarkably similar in my opinion, and about as relevant to the real problems.”
Mr Trump, the Republican nominee for the White House, was widely condemned last year after calling for a ban on Muslims entering America.
Mr Cameron has since had to row back by saying he respected the tycoon’s victory in the primaries, and agree to meet him during a visit to Britain this summer.
Tory MPs Nadine Dorries, Andrew Bridgen and Sir Bill Cash revealed on Sunday they may submit letters to the backbench 1922 committee demanding a vote of no confidence in Mr Cameron. Fifty signatures are needed to trigger such a vote, and Ms Dorries is the only person known to have written so far.
Mr Clarke said of their comments: “It’s completely unhelpful – not least because it diverts attention from what we ought to be talking about. We ought to be talking about the benefit this country gets, and always has, from being in the EU.”
No10 has dismissed the rebels as the “usual suspects”. Meanwhile, Tory Eu- rosceptics “infuriated” by Mr Cameron’s behaviour are ready to force a string of defeats on the Government. Senior MPs have told The Daily Tele
graph they will make it “very difficult” to govern if there is an In vote.
They plan a series of votes on EU directives and judgments if the country votes to remain in the EU. The anger could also strengthen a rebellion on key legislation, including the British Bill of Rights.
A Tory MP said: “People are becoming really quite upset and in some cases infuriated by being portrayed as unpatriotic and even immoral for wanting to leave the EU. When a side, whose only tool is to terrorise voters, then claims Outers are immoral, you cause very significant tensions.”
Mr Johnson refused to be drawn on Mr Clarke’s comments. Speaking in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, he said: “It’s very important with such a short time to go that we all focus on the issues that matter to the people.”