Major: sack ‘political anarchist’ Cummings and reinstate rebels

Former PM warns Johnson that Tories risk being seen as a mean-minded sect over exclusion of MPS

SIR JOHN MAJOR has told Boris Johnson to sack “political anarchist” Dominic Cummings and let Tory rebels back into the party.

The former prime minister warned Mr Johnson that appointing “overmighty advisers” always “ends badly”.

In a speech in Glasgow, Sir John urged the Prime Minister to reinstate the 21 Tory MPS who have been stripped of the Tory whip after rebelling against the Government to try and block a no-deal Brexit.

He said their “long and loyal service to the party” appeared to be worth nothing and warned that excluding them would mean the Tories risked being seen as a “mean-minded sect”.

Sir John said loyal MPS were being forced to parrot “the views of a Prime Minister influenced by a political anarchist, who cares not a fig for the future of the party I have served all my life”.

Referring to Mr Cummings, Sir John said: “I offer the Prime Minister some friendly advice: get rid of these advisers before they poison the political atmosphere beyond repair. And do it quickly. There is no need for them to be led out of Downing Street by armed police, but go they should. And now.”

Former chancellors Philip Hammond and Ken Clarke as well as Sir Nicholas Soames, Winston Churchill’s grandson, lost the whip this week amid a purge of Tory rebels who voted against the Government.

Sajid Javid, the Chancellor, said he would “like to see those colleagues come back at some point” before insisting that Mr Johnson “had no choice” but to strip them of the whip.

Speaking in Wakefield, the Prime Minister said: “Discipline is always tough, but here we are.

“Sometimes you have to administer discipline and you have to be very clear about your message.”

Meanwhile, more Tory MPS announced that they would step down before the next election. Yesterday Dame Caroline Spelman said she will quit as MP for Meriden after months of abuse and death threats against herself and her family over Brexit.

The 61-year-old former cabinet minister, who on Wednesday supported a Bill opposing a no-deal Brexit, said: “Twenty-two years is a long time in politics, but I have never experienced anything like the last few years.”

Nick Hurd, the Northern Ireland minister, also said he will step down as MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner at the next election.

Mr Hurd, 57, said in his resignation letter: “Politics is now dominated by the ongoing division over Brexit.”