Conservative MPs call for Cameron to build new ‘unity government’
LAST-DITCH calls were made before the Leave victory for David Cameron to build a new “unity government” of Remain and Leave Conservatives whatever the referendum result.
Before Mr Cameron’s position was put into jeopardy by the Leave victory, 84 pro-Brexit Tory MPs signed a letter insisting the Prime Minister had a duty to carry on in No 10, 55 others did not.
John Redwood, the Eurosceptic former Welsh Secretary, insisted Mr Cameron would have to “build a new government that binds together the party” in the wake of the referendum battle, adding: “There’s a lot of talent on the Leave side and he needs to harness that to bring the country together.”
Commons leader Chris Grayling, a leading Brexiter, said it was essential the Tory government knuckled down to get “on with the job of governing,” and added: “That means uniting behind David Cameron. I want him to stay regardless of the result.”
Pro-Remain Energy Minister Amber Rudd, who in one of the head-to-head TV debates, accused fellow Tory Boris Johnson of heading the Leave campaign to further his prime ministerial ambitions and accused him of peddling nonsense, insisted the party’s MPs were already “reaching out” to each other to unite – regardless of the result.
She said the former London Mayor was “not made of porcelain” and that they had a “perfectly good relationship”.
Leading Leaver, Iain Duncan Smith said he was sure the party would reunite despite the bruising contest.
The former party leader, who quit as work and pensions secretary in March with a blast at government welfare policy, said he made no apologies for the tone of the campaign but said his outspoken attack on Chancellor George Osborne comparing him to Pinocchiowas“abitoffun”.
“Passions are high and I don’t make any bones about it; when you are dealing with an issue as big as this – nothing matters more really attheendoftheday–thenitgets really tense.
“Families break apart for things like this for a while and they will take chunks out of each other but they come back together.”
“The Conservative Party has an instinct, ultimately I sense, that once the argument is over they will want to be back. We are in government, we have to get on with government whatever happens,” added the Scot.
The effort to show a united front came at the end of an often brutal campaign that saw deep Tory divisions over Europe lead to personalised “blue-on-blue” attacks.
Some observers believe Mr Cameron will now find his position seriously under threat, if not untenable, after he was unable to persuade the public that Britain should stay in the Brussels bloc.
As the results began to come in, it emerged prominent pro-Brexit Tories had signed the letter backing Mr Cameron to remain as prime minister after the referendum.
The letter said: “We believe whatever the British people decide you have both a mandate and a duty to continue leading the nation imple- menting our policies.”
Signatories to it included all of the cabinet-level ministers who broke ranks to join Vote Leave: Michael Gove, Chris Grayling, John Whittingdale, Theresa Villiers and Priti Patel.
MP Robert Syms, who wrote the letter, said “many” Eurosceptic MPs had expressed their support for Mr Cameron but not all had been able to physically put their name to the letter.
Mr Duncan Smith said he was not asked to sign the letter but insisted Mr Cameron should stay on as PM.
The signatories made up around 60 per cent of the 141 MPs who have publicly backed Brexit.
However, some prominent Conservatives, including David Davis, Bill Cash and Owen Paterson, did not sign the message.