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Boris Johnson slams Brexit plan as he sets out his Tory vision | Boris Johnson slams Brexit plan as he sets out his Tory vision |
(35 minutes later) | |
Crowds have packed into a speech by former foreign secretary Boris Johnson at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. | Crowds have packed into a speech by former foreign secretary Boris Johnson at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. |
Mr Johnson renewed his attack on Theresa May's Brexit plan, describing it as a "cheat" that could lead to a boost for the far-right. | Mr Johnson renewed his attack on Theresa May's Brexit plan, describing it as a "cheat" that could lead to a boost for the far-right. |
In a wide-ranging speech, he also called for tax cuts and an increase in house-building. | In a wide-ranging speech, he also called for tax cuts and an increase in house-building. |
Long queues formed outside the event more than an hour before he began. | Long queues formed outside the event more than an hour before he began. |
He began with a self-deprecating joke about the chancellor's Brexit warnings. | He began with a self-deprecating joke about the chancellor's Brexit warnings. |
Philip Hammond's prediction that Mr Johnson would never be prime minister, he said, could be "the only Treasury forecast in some time to have a distinct ring of truth". | Philip Hammond's prediction that Mr Johnson would never be prime minister, he said, could be "the only Treasury forecast in some time to have a distinct ring of truth". |
Mr Johnson said he wanted to "put some lead in the collective pencil" and end a "seeping away of our self-belief". | Mr Johnson said he wanted to "put some lead in the collective pencil" and end a "seeping away of our self-belief". |
He also spoke up for police use of stop-and-search. | He also spoke up for police use of stop-and-search. |
But Brexit was his main focus as he called for the government to ditch the Chequers plan that led to his resignation from the government in July. | |
He denounced the proposals - at one point suggesting the PM risked being prosecuted under a 14th century law saying that "no foreign court or government shall have jurisdiction in this country" - describing it as an "outrage". | |
Remaining "half-in half-out" would prolong "this toxic tedious business", he said. | |
"If we cheat the electorate - and Chequers is a cheat - we will escalate the sense of mistrust. | |
"We will give credence to those who cry betrayal, and I am afraid we will make it more likely that the ultimate beneficiary of the Chequers deal will be the far right in the form of UKIP." | |
After the speech, he left the venue in a media scrum as he faced questions about whether he had been setting out a leadership pitch. | |
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said people were "concerned about Mr Johnson's behaviour". | |
Brexit negotiations are at a "really critical point" and people should support the prime minister, he said. | |
"Unfortunately Mr Johnson seems to behave in a way that suggests that he's only focused on his own self-interests and not on the interests of our country." | |
Earlier party chairman Brandon Lewis brushed off claims Mr Johnson's alternative agenda sought to undermine Theresa May. | Earlier party chairman Brandon Lewis brushed off claims Mr Johnson's alternative agenda sought to undermine Theresa May. |
"It's always dangerous getting into hypotheticals about what people may or may not say in the future, even if it's just later on today," he said. | "It's always dangerous getting into hypotheticals about what people may or may not say in the future, even if it's just later on today," he said. |
Mr Johnson has been a vocal critic of the prime minister's Brexit plan since leaving the Cabinet, calling it "a moral and intellectual humiliation" when setting out an alternative last week. | Mr Johnson has been a vocal critic of the prime minister's Brexit plan since leaving the Cabinet, calling it "a moral and intellectual humiliation" when setting out an alternative last week. |
Ahead of his conference appearance, he was pictured out jogging, in what some interpreted as a "parody" of Mrs May's claim that the "naughtiest" thing she did as a child was to run through a field of wheat. | Ahead of his conference appearance, he was pictured out jogging, in what some interpreted as a "parody" of Mrs May's claim that the "naughtiest" thing she did as a child was to run through a field of wheat. |
When asked before the fringe event how she had been getting on with Mr Johnson, the prime minister laughed and told BBC One's Breakfast: "Well, I'm sure that's going to be a very lively event." | When asked before the fringe event how she had been getting on with Mr Johnson, the prime minister laughed and told BBC One's Breakfast: "Well, I'm sure that's going to be a very lively event." |
Questioned again later on BBC Radio 4's Today about how she felt that her former colleague appeared to be mocking her, she replied: "What I feel is that I, and this government, and this party, are getting on with the important job... of getting a good deal for the United Kingdom when we leave the European Union." | Questioned again later on BBC Radio 4's Today about how she felt that her former colleague appeared to be mocking her, she replied: "What I feel is that I, and this government, and this party, are getting on with the important job... of getting a good deal for the United Kingdom when we leave the European Union." |
Mr Johnson's attitude towards business - he was reported to have used the f-word in response to their Brexit concerns - was criticised by Sir Digby Jones, former boss of lobby group the CBI, at the weekend. | Mr Johnson's attitude towards business - he was reported to have used the f-word in response to their Brexit concerns - was criticised by Sir Digby Jones, former boss of lobby group the CBI, at the weekend. |