Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Johnson divides opinion again in race for No 10
JACOB Rees-Mogg has announced his support for Boris Johnson to return as Prime Minister in the wake of Liz Truss’ resignation.
The North East Somerset MP declared his support yesterday by tweeting the short statement: “I’m backing Boris.”
As Business Secretary, he was the first cabinet member to publicly back the former Prime Minister’s return to the role.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has since said he is leaning towards supporting Mr Johnson.
According to Sky News’ running tally of who Conservative MPs have declared support for, Boris Johnson currently has the second highest number of backers, behind Rishi Sunak.
Meanwhile, Penny Mordaunt became the first candidate to throw her hat into the ring in the race to succeed Liz Truss, with a pledge to reunite the bitterly divided Tory Party.
The Leader of the House – who finished third in the last leadership election – said she had been encouraged by the support she had received from fellow Conservative MPs.
“I’ve been encouraged by support from colleagues who want a fresh start, a united party and leadership in the national interest,” she said in a statement posted on social media.
Candidates will each need to secure the backing of 100 Tory MPs. If three candidates secure this number, Tory MPs will vote on a final two,
who will then be put to the party membership in an online poll. The new leader is planned to be in place by October 28.
Mr Rees-Mogg has been a consistent ally of Mr Johnson, supporting him in the 2016 leadership contest until he dropped out and in 2019, when Mr Johnson was successful and became party leader.
Mr Rees-Mogg was one of the few government ministers who did not resign from Mr Johnson’s government in July.
He supported Liz Truss in the subsequent leadership election.
But one West Conservative MP who came out firmly against Mr Johnson was Jesse Norman, the representative for Hereford and South Herefordshire.
He tweeted: “There are several very good potential candidates for Conservative leader. But choosing Boris now would be – and I say this
advisedly – an absolutely catastrophic decision.”
Mr Norman submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson during the later stages of his time in office in June.
He described Mr Johnson at the time as “a man I have known and greatly liked for more than 40 years”, but said his concerns “relate to policy, approach to government and treatment of the British constitution” as well as the then current Partygate scandal.
Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk is backing former Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Mr Chalk tweeted: “Rishi Sunak has the brains, integrity, stamina and judgement to lead our country to a great future. Proud to support him.”
Among those calling for a general election is the MP for Bath, Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse.
She said: “A fundamental change is needed and that can only be achieved with a general election. Conservative Prime Minister after Conservative Prime Minister has held this country back and as a result, ordinary people are suffering.
“It is an insult for the Conservatives to try and impose another unelected leader on a public that is so clearly tired of this carousel of chaos. They need to recognise that their time is up, consider the national interest and not just their own personal selfish ambitions, and call an election.”
If Mr Johnson returns to office he would be the first Prime Minister since 1970s PM Harold Wilson to occupy the office on two separate occasions. Defining moments of Mr Wilson’s time in office included a referendum over membership of the European Community and the devaluation of the pound.
Somerton and Frome MP David Warburton, who will not be taking part in the vote after having the Tory whip removed in April, has urged the party to get the electoral process over and done with quickly.
Mr Warburton was suspended from the party in April following allegations of sexual harassment and cocaine use, which he strongly denies, and has been receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital since July.
He said: “This is an extraordinarily testing time for the country so this process must be as swiftly as is possible.
“In Somerset we need stability now, and a clear understanding of what the government will do for us and how it will do it.”