Sunday, November 12, 2017
Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and the soft coup d'grace
The Independent has a fascinating but unsurprising story in which they allege that Boris Johnson and Michael Gove sent a secret letter to Theresa May giving her instructions on how to orchestrate a hard Brexit.
According to the paper, the memo demands the Prime Minister "underline her resolve" for leaving the European Union, and sets out a date for transition arrangements between the EU and UK to end of 30 June 2021:
Mr Johnson and Mr Gove are also said to have urged the Prime Minister to ensure members of her top team fall behind their Brexit plans by "clarifying their minds" and called for them to "internalise the logic".
The leaked letter appears to make a thinly veiled attack on Chancellor Philip Hammond, who backed remain and wants a softer Brexit, for lacking the "sufficient energy" in preparing to the UK's future outside the bloc.
A senior Government source told the Mail the Foreign Secretary and Environment Secretary had conducted a "soft coup" and described Ms May as "their Downing Street hostage".
The letter, titled EU Exit - Next Steps, is marked "For your and Gavin's eyes only", a reference to the PM's chief of staff Gavin Barwell.
It states: "Your approach is governed by sensible pragmatism. That does not in any way dilute our ambition to be a fully independent self-governing country by the time of the next election.
"If we are to counter those who wish to frustrate that end, there are ways of underlining your resolve. "We are profoundly worried that in some parts of Government the current preparations are not proceeding with anything like sufficient energy.
"We have heard it argued by some that we cannot start preparations on the basis of 'No Deal' because that would undermine our obligation of 'sincere co-operation' with the EU. If taken seriously, that would leave us over a barrel in 2021.
"We all want you to push your agenda forward with confidence and have your Government articulate the following..."
If this is a sign of who is really running the country then it is very worrying. Not only has Boris Johnson compromised himself and destroyed all his credibility over the false testimony he gave on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and his failure to retract it but both he and Gove's view of a no deal Brexit could plunge the country into a long recession.
Theresa May no longer appears to be in control of her cabinet. It is those now pulling the strings we really have to worry about.
According to the paper, the memo demands the Prime Minister "underline her resolve" for leaving the European Union, and sets out a date for transition arrangements between the EU and UK to end of 30 June 2021:
Mr Johnson and Mr Gove are also said to have urged the Prime Minister to ensure members of her top team fall behind their Brexit plans by "clarifying their minds" and called for them to "internalise the logic".
The leaked letter appears to make a thinly veiled attack on Chancellor Philip Hammond, who backed remain and wants a softer Brexit, for lacking the "sufficient energy" in preparing to the UK's future outside the bloc.
A senior Government source told the Mail the Foreign Secretary and Environment Secretary had conducted a "soft coup" and described Ms May as "their Downing Street hostage".
The letter, titled EU Exit - Next Steps, is marked "For your and Gavin's eyes only", a reference to the PM's chief of staff Gavin Barwell.
It states: "Your approach is governed by sensible pragmatism. That does not in any way dilute our ambition to be a fully independent self-governing country by the time of the next election.
"If we are to counter those who wish to frustrate that end, there are ways of underlining your resolve. "We are profoundly worried that in some parts of Government the current preparations are not proceeding with anything like sufficient energy.
"We have heard it argued by some that we cannot start preparations on the basis of 'No Deal' because that would undermine our obligation of 'sincere co-operation' with the EU. If taken seriously, that would leave us over a barrel in 2021.
"We all want you to push your agenda forward with confidence and have your Government articulate the following..."
If this is a sign of who is really running the country then it is very worrying. Not only has Boris Johnson compromised himself and destroyed all his credibility over the false testimony he gave on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and his failure to retract it but both he and Gove's view of a no deal Brexit could plunge the country into a long recession.
Theresa May no longer appears to be in control of her cabinet. It is those now pulling the strings we really have to worry about.
