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| Chancellor lays bare Cabinet infighting as rivals try to sabotage soft Brexit | Chancellor lays bare Cabinet infighting as rivals try to sabotage soft Brexit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Philip Hammond has laid bare Cabinet infighting over Brexit, suggesting other ministers are out to get him because he is pushing for Theresa May to change course. | Philip Hammond has laid bare Cabinet infighting over Brexit, suggesting other ministers are out to get him because he is pushing for Theresa May to change course. |
| The Chancellor said damaging stories about him were coming from “people who are not happy with the agenda that I have”, which is to steer Britain towards a transitional exit deal. | The Chancellor said damaging stories about him were coming from “people who are not happy with the agenda that I have”, which is to steer Britain towards a transitional exit deal. |
| The claim came as Mr Hammond all-but admitted he had told the Cabinet that public sector workers are “overpaid” – while denying he said “even a woman” can drive a train. | The claim came as Mr Hammond all-but admitted he had told the Cabinet that public sector workers are “overpaid” – while denying he said “even a woman” can drive a train. |
| The leaks of his remarks in Cabinet meetings have made front-page headlines in recent days, prompting claims they are coming from rival ministers. | |
| Asked why colleagues are “going for you”, Mr Hammond said: “If you want my opinion, some of the noise is generated by people who are not happy with the agenda that I have – over the last few weeks – tried to advance, of ensuring that we achieve a Brexit which is focused on protecting our economy, protecting our jobs and making sure we can have continued rising living standards in the future.” | Asked why colleagues are “going for you”, Mr Hammond said: “If you want my opinion, some of the noise is generated by people who are not happy with the agenda that I have – over the last few weeks – tried to advance, of ensuring that we achieve a Brexit which is focused on protecting our economy, protecting our jobs and making sure we can have continued rising living standards in the future.” |
| The Chancellor said he did not know if the stories were being placed in newspapers by “hard core Brexiteers”. | The Chancellor said he did not know if the stories were being placed in newspapers by “hard core Brexiteers”. |
| Asked, on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme, if a leadership contest to succeed Ms May is underway, he replied: “I certainly hope not – and if there is I’m no part of it.” | Asked, on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme, if a leadership contest to succeed Ms May is underway, he replied: “I certainly hope not – and if there is I’m no part of it.” |
| The Chancellor lashed out at his Cabinet rivals as he dismissed Brexiteer claims of a windfall from leaving the EU, after the notorious promises of an extra £350m a week for the NHS. | |
| He pointed out that the independent Office for Budget Responsibility had simply estimated money “might be used for different purposes”, either at home, or for some EU programmes. | |
| “Broadly speaking, the amount of money will remain the same. They haven’t budgeted for a bonus from leaving the European Union,” Mr Hammond pointed out. | |
| He again urged colleagues to accept the need for a lengthy transitional period, after exit day in March 2019, to put in new IT systems and extra staff to cope with tougher trading arrangements. | |
| “These things can’t be magicked up overnight,” the Chancellor said – targeting ministers apparently happy for Britain to “crash out” if necessary. | |
| He also sought to slap down Conservatives insisting Britain need not pay a penny to cover its outstanding obligations to the EU, a key stumbling block in the exit talks. | |
| “If there is any amount that is due, when it’s been properly accounted and audited for, of course we will deal with it. We are not a country that walks away from our debts,” Mr Hammond said. | |
| However, he agreed talk of a €100bn payout was a “ridiculous figure”, which Britain would not sign up to. | |
| The Chancellor also insisted he was winning the battle on Brexit, saying: “I think the Cabinet is coming much closer together on issues like transition. | |
| It was a “new concept” when he first raised it, but “now you find that pretty much everybody around the Cabinet table accepts that there will be some kind of transition”. |