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Boris Johnson calls Theresa May's Brexit plan a suicide vest Tories condemn Boris Johnson for Brexit 'suicide vest' remarks
(about 2 hours later)
Theresa May's Brexit strategy has put the UK constitution in a “suicide vest” and handed the detonator to the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, Boris Johnson has claimed. Senior Tories have heavily criticised Boris Johnson for describing the government’s Brexit strategy as putting the UK constitution in a “suicide vest”.
The former foreign secretary's extraordinary comments provoked an immediate backlash from Tory critics in the latest sign of the bitter Conservative divide over Brexit and the future leadership of the party. The home secretary, Sajid Javid, saying his ex-colleague should think carefully about his language. But other Tory MPs were more vehement. Alan Duncan, until July a Foreign Office colleague of Johnson, vowed to ensure the comments marked “the political end” of the former foreign secretary.
Johnson launched the attack amid further focus on his private life following the announcement that he has separated from his wife, Marina Wheeler, and the couple are divorcing. Johnson used the phrase in an article for the Mail on Sunday which castigated Theresa May for, he said, repeatedly caving in over Brexit terms to the EU and its chief negotiator, Michel Barnier.
The prominent Brexiter's latest assault on May's handling of negotiations with Brussels will fuel speculation about his own leadership ambitions. It came on a day when many Sunday papers were filled with new allegations about Johnson’s private life following the announcement he is to divorce his wife of 25 years, Marina Wheeler. There was speculation he was seeking to change the narrative.
Johnson quit the cabinet in opposition to May's Chequers plan, which would see the UK remain closely aligned with EU rules on goods. “At every stage in the talks so far, Brussels gets what Brussels wants,” Johnson wrote. “We have agreed to the EU’s timetable; we have agreed to hand over £39bn, for nothing in return.
Writing in the Mail On Sunday, he said: "At every stage in the talks so far, Brussels gets what Brussels wants. “Under the Chequers proposal we are set to agree to accept their rules – forever – with no say on the making of those rules.
"We have agreed to the EU's timetable; we have agreed to hand over £39bn, for nothing in return. “It is a humiliation. We look like a seven-stone weakling being comically bent out of shape by a 500lb gorilla.”
"Under the Chequers proposal we are set to agree to accept their rules – forever – with no say on the making of those rules. Johnson, who quit as foreign secretary in July in protest at May’s Chequers proposals for Brexit, castigated the EU’s so-called backstop plan to ensure no hard Irish border, which would see Northern Ireland effectively remain part of the single market if no other workable solution was found.
"It is a humiliation. We look like a seven-stone weakling being comically bent out of shape by a 500lb gorilla." Johnson wrote: “We have opened ourselves to perpetual political blackmail. We have wrapped a suicide vest around the British constitution – and handed the detonator to Michel Barnier.”
He also lashed out at the Northern Ireland '“backstop” – the measure aimed at making sure there is no hard border with Ireland. Asked about the phrasing on BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show, Javid said: “I think there are much better ways to articulate your differences. It’s a reminder for all of us in public policy, whichever political party we represent, to use measured language, because I think that’s what the public want to see.”
Under the EU's version of the plan, if no trade deal with the UK resolved the issue, Northern Ireland would effectively remain part of the single market. But the home secretary sought to play down the broader criticism of the Chequers plan: “It’s not news that he has a difference of opinion with the prime minister. That’s why he’s left the government.”
Johnson said: "We have opened ourselves to perpetual political blackmail. We have wrapped a suicide vest around the British constitution – and handed the detonator to Michel Barnier. Asked about an earlier contentious use of language by Johnson – in which he compared women wearing niqabs to “letter boxes” – Javid said it was “not language I would use”, but that he did not believe Johnson was Islamophobic. Javid said: “No, absolutely not. Not in the slightest.”
"We have given him a jemmy with which Brussels can choose – at any time – to crack apart the union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland." The housing secretary, James Brokenshire, told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday he thought Johnson had used the wrong tone in the article.
The UK's alternative backstop and the Chequers plan would both mean “agreeing to take EU rules, with no say on those rules”, leaving the country a “vassal state”. “I think he is wrong on this, I think the tone that he has used isn’t right,” he said. “I think that we just need to be very focused on actually moving forward with the Chequers plan.”
Other senior Tories were more condemnatory. Duncan, a junior Foreign Office minister, tweeted: “For Boris to say that the PM’s view is like that of a suicide bomber is too much. This marks one of the most disgusting moments in modern British politics. I’m sorry, but this is the political end of Boris Johnson. If it isn’t now, I will make sure it is later.”
For Boris to say that the PM’s view is like that of a suicide bomber is too much. This marks one of the most disgusting moments in modern British politics. I’m sorry, but this is the political end of Boris Johnson. If it isn’t now, I will make sure it is later. #neverfittogovern https://t.co/rdI0FWQhbi
Another foreign office minister, Alistair Burt, said that the analogy was “outrageous, inappropriate and hurtful”.
I’m stunned at the nature of this attack. There is no justification for such an outrageous, inappropriate and hurtful analogy. If we don’t stop this extraordinary use of language over Brexit, our country might never heal. Again, I say, enough. https://t.co/DWVuWQgzZy
Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, a former soldier who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee, said in a tweet: “A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died in horrific pain. Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isn’t funny.”
A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died In horrific pain. Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isn’t funny. https://t.co/IeRWhmhgS9
Hinting that she believed the wide-ranging criticism had been orchestrated, Brexit supporting Tory MP Nadine Dorries said: “Don’t underestimate the vitriol that’ll be directed towards Boris today. He delivered the leave vote, remainers and wannabe future PMs hate him.” 
Johnson has set his opposition to Brexit at the heart of what most assume to be an imminent attempt to wrest the Conservative leadership from May, and impose an as yet not fully described alternative Brexit strategy.
In his Mail article, Johnson said the backstop and the Chequers plan would both mean “agreeing to take EU rules, with no say on those rules”, leaving the country a “vassal state”.
He said: “We have managed to reduce the great British Brexit to two appalling options: either we must divide the union, or the whole country must accept EU law forever.”He said: “We have managed to reduce the great British Brexit to two appalling options: either we must divide the union, or the whole country must accept EU law forever.”
Johnson said there were “far better technical solutions” to the Irish border issue.Johnson said there were “far better technical solutions” to the Irish border issue.
The former cabinet minister’s comments drew a furious response from Tory MP and former army officer Tom Tugendhat, who has been viewed as a possible rival in a leadership contest. Meanwhile, Johnson faces repeated questions about allegations of multiple affairs amid his marriage break-up, with several reports on Sunday detailing new claims.
“A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand,” he said. “Comparing the PM to that isn't funny.” The Sunday Times reported that May's aides had drawn up a dossier on Johnson at the time of the 2016 leadership contest.
Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan said: “For Boris to say that the PM’s view is like that of a suicide bomber is too much. This marks one of the most disgusting moments in modern British politics. It was not used after his campaign failed to get off the launch pad, but the newspaper reported the 4,000-word “war book” was circulating in Westminster last week amid claims “black ops” attacks were being planned against him.
“I’m sorry, but this is the political end of Boris Johnson. If it isn’t now, I will make sure it is later.”
But in a further indication of the toxic nature of relations within the Tory party, Brexit backer Zac Goldsmith responded to Duncan by saying: “There are a number of possible motives behind this tweet, but given its author, we can be certain ‘principles’ aren’t one of them.”
Johnson's own leadership ambitions may have suffered a blow by the revelation that his marriage has broken down, although some Westminster commentators suggest having the break-up made public now clears away a potential obstacle on the way to No 10.
In a sign of the febrile atmosphere within the Conservative party, the Sunday Times reported that May's aides had drawn up a dossier on Johnson at the time of the 2016 leadership contest.
It was not used after his campaign failed to get off the launch pad, but the newspaper reported the 4,000-word “war book” was circulating in Westminster last week amid claims “black ops” attacks were being planned against the prominent critic of the Chequers plan.
Officials at Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) denied circulating the document.Officials at Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) denied circulating the document.
With Monday marking just 200 days until the UK's exit from the EU, Johnson's successor as foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, pleaded for Tories to get behind May and the Chequers plan.
Ahead of a potentially difficult Conservative party conference, Hunt said the prime minister's efforts to achieve the best outcome for Britain “will be greatly strengthened if we are united behind her”.
In a Mail On Sunday article, he said: “We should not rush to judgment on a deal that is still under negotiation.
“Nor should we assume that unacceptable further concessions will 'inevitably' be made on the Chequers proposals. I know this prime minister and she would never recommend a deal inconsistent with what the country voted for.”
In a pointed remark apparently aimed at Brexiters, he added: “Nobody else has a detailed plan that both delivers on the instruction of the British people and has a chance of succeeding in the negotiations.”
Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
BrexitBrexit
Theresa MayTheresa May
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