Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Chancellor warns Boris he will strive to block any no-deal exit
BORIS Johnson has been given a fresh warning of the challenges he will face if he becomes prime minister as Philip Hammond promised to do “everything in my power” to block a no-deal Brexit.
The Chancellor left open the possibility of voting to bring down a Conservative government led by Mr Johnson if the UK was on course to crash out of the European Union without a deal on October 31.
Mr Johnson has again ruled out seeking an extension to the deadline, insisting that the UK would leave the EU on Hallowe’en “come what may”.
But Mr Hammond said it would be impossible to renegotiate a deal with Brussels before that deadline.
In an interview with European newspapers, he said: “I will take steps to avoid an exit without agreement apart from an explicit parliamentary approval.
“There should be a new and sincere attempt to reach a consensus.”
Hinting at the prospect of another referendum, he told Le Monde and Suddeutsche Zeitung: “If we do not find a solution with the members, we may have to ask the British to give their opinion again, in one form or another.”
The scale of the task facing Mr Johnson if, as expected, he defeats Jeremy Hunt in the Tory leadership battle, was laid bare in the Commons on Thursday, as Cabinet ministers who expect to return to the backbenches put down a marker about their willingness to cause trouble.
MPs voted by a majority of 41 to
back a measure aimed at preventing Mr Johnson suspending Parliament in order to force through a no-deal Brexit, with 17 Tories rebelling and dozens more abstaining.
The Chancellor, Justice Secretary David Gauke, Business Secretary Greg Clark and International Development Secretary Rory Stewart did not vote, all are expected to be on the backbenches under Mr Johnson and could be a thorn in his side.
In a signal of his intentions as a backbencher, the Chancellor said: “I will remain a member of the House of Commons. I will do everything in my power from my position to make sure that Parliament blocks a Brexit without agreement.”
Tory Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg, an ally of Mr Johnson, poured cold water on the significance of the Commons vote aimed at preventing the new prime minister suspending Parliament.
“Something that was never going to happen is now slightly harder to do,” he told Today.
The Tory MP also suggested the likelihood of a successful no-confidence vote was slim.
“It’s quite difficult unless they have a vote of no confidence and they don’t want to do that because they would lose their seats because any Conservatives who voted against the Government on a vote of no confidence would be automatically deprived of the whip,” he said.