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Rishi Sunak allies are fighting back against Boris Johnson amid a growing Tory row over the former prime minister’s decision to quit the Commons.
Mr Johnson dramatically resigned as MP on Friday over the outcome of the Partygate inquiry, with two of his allies – Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams – also quitting with immediate effect, triggering three by-elections.
Senior Tories accused the former PM and his allies of a “coordinated attempt to damage the Sunak government”. Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg also claimed Johnson could “easily get back into Parliament” and warned the Conservative Party not to “block” his return.
But Sunak loyalists have attempted to play down the row, insisting the PM will be relieved at having a chance to draw a line under the “Boris madness”.
Senior Cabinet minister Grant Shapps said “the world has moved on” and that Tories did not miss the drama of a Johnson administration. One senior MP, who is close to Mr Sunak, told The Independent: “Good riddance.”
It came as Sir Keir Starmer said the PM “must find a backbone” and call a snap election.
Johnson ‘taken charge’ by resigning, says ex-PM’s former communications director
Boris Johnson’s resignation shows he has “taken charge,” the former prime minister’s ex-director of communications has said. Holly Patrick reports:
Speaking on Sky News, Guto Harri said Mr Johnson had stepped down as an MP on his own terms rather than “being dragged kicking and screaming.”
Mr Johnson resigned on Friday, 9 June, after launching a scathing attack on the Commons Privileges Committee investigation into whether he misled MPs with his assurances over the Partygate scandal.
Longtime allies of the former PM, Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams, announced their resignations shortly afterwards.
CCHQ declines to say if it will block Johnson in Mid Bed by-election
Conservative Party HQ has declined to say if it would block Boris Johnson from standing as a candidate in the Mid Befordshire, according to a report.
“Up to three candidates will be put to the association members”, a spokesperson told the Mirror.
A source close to Mr Johnson said “there’s a lot of ideas under discussion,” the paper added.
Farage claims 10 Tories willing to join new party
Nigel Farage said he believes "it’s the end of Boris Johnson in the Conservative Party" as he suggested more than 10 Tory MPs could be willing to join a new party.
The prominent Leave campaigner, appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, added that the "gap for another insurgency is actually bigger than it was 10 years ago".
Mr Farage said: "I think it’s the end of Boris Johnson in the Conservative Party. I think all this talk of ‘oh, he’ll go for this seat or that seat’, well, hang on, he’s virtually just gifted Uxbridge to the Labour Party, there’s no way he’s going to be given a seat, if he really wants to be in politics he is going to have to be part of some sort of centre-right realignment.
"It’s been talked about years ago, the referendum stopped it, now the Ukip insurgency was getting to such a level that there was real talk about this happening, and is Johnson somebody who would want to be part of a new attempt to break the mould of British politics, or would he rather be on the after-dinner speaking circuit?
"I look at reform and, you know, I’m not actively involved in it at the moment, but I think the gap for another insurgency is actually bigger than it was 10 years ago."
Nigel Farage said Boris Johnson is finished in the Conservative Party (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)
Rees-Mogg and Patel shouldn’t have been given honours - Lammy
Former Cabinet ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Priti Patel should not be rewarded with honours, a senior Labour politician has said.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said comments made by Mr Rees-Mogg in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire make him unfit for a knighthood.
Mr Rees-Mogg is tipped for the title in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list alongside Ms Patel, who will receive a damehood.
Asked about Mr Johnson’s list, Mr Lammy told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "After Grenfell Tower, where I lost a friend, Jacob Rees-Mogg said that the residents of that tower lacked common sense.
"I don’t believe he is someone who should have been rewarded.
"Priti Patel was found to be bullying in her department. I don’t believe she should be rewarded.
"I don’t believe that if a Government sets rules for everybody else during a pandemic, it is right that those who encouraged parties in No 10 should be rewarded."
Former Cabinet ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Priti Patel should not be rewarded with honours, a senior Labour politician has said (BBC/PA)
Johnson acting like a ‘baby-man'
Labour has accused Boris Johnson of acting like a "baby-man" and blaming his mistakes on everyone else, Jon Stone reports.
Pat McFadden, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme that the ex PM hadn’t been forced out of parliament by the committee.
"It just triggers a recall petition where he could face the voters," he said.
"But the truth is he didn’t want to face any of the verdicts because he can never accept responsibility for his own actions.
"That’s true of all these right-wing populist leaders. They are like baby-men. Whenever anything goes wrong, it is everybody else’s fault."
Labour repeats call for general election
Pat McFadden, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said a general election was the only way to prevent Conservative "chaos".
Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme about Sir Keir Starmer’s call for a snap election, the Opposition politician said: "I don’t think there’s any cure for this chaos under the current government."
Mr McFadden added: "They are the party of government, and if this goes on, the chaos will continue.
"You’ve got Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of Boris Johnson’s principal allies, writing in one of the Sunday newspapers today that not only should Boris come back, but that he would be a good candidate in a future leadership election.
"So, it is quite clear. This is going to continue in the Conservative Party and they cannot fix it themselves. The only way to fix this is to have a general election and a change of government.
"Otherwise, the country is going to be bedevilled by this chaos and instability, and it is having a real effect on the governance and the economy of the country."
Recycling deposit scheme row shows devolution not working - Yousaf
Humza Yousaf has said the deposit return scheme - the recycling initiative which has now been delayed to at least 2025 - was an example of how "devolution is becoming unworkable".
He told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show that the UK Government had sought to "sabotage" the scheme at the 11th hour.
He was asked if the Scottish Government would pay compensation to businesses which had paid millions to prepare for a scheme which is now not going to happen.
Mr Yousaf said: "We don’t believe there’s a case for the Scottish Government to need to compensate because the action we’ve had to take is because of that 11th hour, last-minute intervention from the UK Government, which has meant that a Scottish scheme, unfortunately, isn’t viable."
Scottish independence will be ‘front and centre’ of SNP election campaign - Yousaf
Humza Yousaf has said Scottish independence will be "front and centre" of the SNP’s general elections campaign.
He told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show that at the next general election "very simply a vote for the SNP is going to be a vote for independence".
Discussing polling on independence, he said different polls showed support above or below 50 per cent.
The first minister said: "I don’t want to be there or thereabouts, I want independence to be the consistent, settled will.
"At the moment, for example, it’s pretty obvious that independence is not the consistent, settled will of the Scottish people."
Asked if it is realistic that Scotland would not be independent within five years, he said: "Not if I’ve got anything to do with it."
Humza Yousaf is being urged to ‘hold his nerve’ and press ahead with Scotland’s deposit return scheme (Jane Barlow/PA)
Uxbridge by-election ‘acid test’ for Labour majority
The by-election in Boris Johnson’s old seat will be an “acid test” as to whether Labour can win a general election, the chief executive of Ipsos Mori has claimed.
Speaking on Sky News, Ben Page said: “If Starmer is going to win a general election convincingly, this ought to be in many ways a breeze for Labour.
“That really is going to be an acid test.
“If they breeze through that, then all the polls showing an average 16-point lead for Labour, people will bake it in.
“If they don’t, or it’s only very narrow, then I think there will be a lot more uncertainty.”
Former prime minister Mr Johnson resigned as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip on Friday.
‘Not true’ that a member of Sunak’s team altered Johnson’s honours list
Grant Shapps has flat-out denied claims that Rishi Sunak or any member of his team got names removed from Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, Jon Stone reports.
The issue has come to light as Tory Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams both believed they would be in line for peerages – but quit as MPs after they did not receive them.
Asked whether Mr Sunak removed any names, Cabinet minister Mr Shapps told the BBC:
"No. The list that came to him was the list that went to the House of Lords commission that looks at these things, called Holac.
"And just to be clear the committee would have to say if the Prime Minister removed anyone.
"The Prime Minister has exactly followed the very, very long standing conventions of prime ministers who simply take the list, pass it on, and receive it back."
He added: "You’re asking me upfront if he removed anyone: my understanding is no."
Asked specifically whether – as reported – a member of the prime minister’s team had removed anyone from the list months ago before it went to the Commission, Mr Shapps replied:
"As far as I’m aware, that’s not true. The list went across, the commission are the people who made those decisions."
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2023-06-11 11:45:37Z
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