Monday, September 10, 2018
Boris starts a civil war
The Guardian reports that the Conservative party has erupted into open civil war after forceful criticism of Boris Johnson over his description of Theresa May’s Brexit plan as a “suicide vest” prompted counter-accusations of a “project smear” by Downing Street.
They say that the furious exchanges, in which a leading Tory backbencher said she would probably quit the party if Johnson became leader, herald a turbulent run-up to the party’s conference this month, which is likely to be dominated by intertwined rows over Brexit and the successor to Theresa May:
But Johnson further fuelled speculation about his ambitions by using his regular Monday newspaper column to argue that the UK should follow Donald Trump’s example and slash taxes to create a “happy and dynamic economy”.
And the former Brexit minister, Steve Baker, added to the divisions by warning that the Conservative party faces a “catastrophic split” if the prime minister sticks to her Chequers plan for future relations with the EU.
So far so good. Boris Johnson's problem though is that he is good at criticising but less good at providing an alternative, a prerequisite if he is to move back into political office. It is one reason why he was such a disaster as Foreign Secretary.
That appears to apply to the European Research Group as well, the hard-line gathering of pro-Brexit MPs who are seeking to block May's Chequer's plan and put Boris into No.10 Downing Street. As The Times makes clear, the ERG's attempt at an alternative to Chequer's ended in ignominious failure:
Conservative Eurosceptics have abandoned their plan to publish an alternative Chequers blueprint.
Tory members of the European Research Group had been due to put their names to a single document setting out their own proposals for a limited Brexit deal with the European Union.
The plan was shelved amid divisions over strategy and fears among some MPs that it would provide ammunition for Downing Street and pro-European groups to attack their proposals.
I agree with Digital Spy, perhaps the ERG should just resort to colouring in a map of the British Empire instead. Not only does it seem more suited to their brand of politics but it also shows how bankrupt their thinking truly is.
They say that the furious exchanges, in which a leading Tory backbencher said she would probably quit the party if Johnson became leader, herald a turbulent run-up to the party’s conference this month, which is likely to be dominated by intertwined rows over Brexit and the successor to Theresa May:
But Johnson further fuelled speculation about his ambitions by using his regular Monday newspaper column to argue that the UK should follow Donald Trump’s example and slash taxes to create a “happy and dynamic economy”.
And the former Brexit minister, Steve Baker, added to the divisions by warning that the Conservative party faces a “catastrophic split” if the prime minister sticks to her Chequers plan for future relations with the EU.
So far so good. Boris Johnson's problem though is that he is good at criticising but less good at providing an alternative, a prerequisite if he is to move back into political office. It is one reason why he was such a disaster as Foreign Secretary.
That appears to apply to the European Research Group as well, the hard-line gathering of pro-Brexit MPs who are seeking to block May's Chequer's plan and put Boris into No.10 Downing Street. As The Times makes clear, the ERG's attempt at an alternative to Chequer's ended in ignominious failure:
Conservative Eurosceptics have abandoned their plan to publish an alternative Chequers blueprint.
Tory members of the European Research Group had been due to put their names to a single document setting out their own proposals for a limited Brexit deal with the European Union.
The plan was shelved amid divisions over strategy and fears among some MPs that it would provide ammunition for Downing Street and pro-European groups to attack their proposals.
I agree with Digital Spy, perhaps the ERG should just resort to colouring in a map of the British Empire instead. Not only does it seem more suited to their brand of politics but it also shows how bankrupt their thinking truly is.
Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home
<< Home
