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Duncan Smith calls for May's cabinet to quit if Brexit bill published Duncan Smith calls for May's cabinet to quit if Brexit bill published
(4 days later)
The former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith has stepped up the pressure on Theresa May by urging her cabinet to resign en masse if the revised EU withdrawal bill is published on Friday.The former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith has stepped up the pressure on Theresa May by urging her cabinet to resign en masse if the revised EU withdrawal bill is published on Friday.
Downing Street is still insisting May plans to publish the bill despite Andrea Leadsom’s resignation as leader of the House of Commons and speculation that the prime minister will have to set a date for her departure on Friday.Downing Street is still insisting May plans to publish the bill despite Andrea Leadsom’s resignation as leader of the House of Commons and speculation that the prime minister will have to set a date for her departure on Friday.
On Wednesday May declined to schedule meetings with several cabinet ministers, including Sajid Javid and David Mundell, who had planned to express their displeasure at her pledge of a Commons vote on a second EU referendum.On Wednesday May declined to schedule meetings with several cabinet ministers, including Sajid Javid and David Mundell, who had planned to express their displeasure at her pledge of a Commons vote on a second EU referendum.
Speaking to TalkRadio, Duncan Smith said if May was not prepared to listen to members of her cabinet, it was time for Philip May to intervene. “The only person closest to her is clearly her husband, and I think somebody has to say look, nobody likes this … Politics is a nasty, sometimes brutal, ghastly business. But the reality is that she has no confidence any longer, not just in her party but in the cabinet as well. So the best thing for her and the best thing for everybody else is to break away and say its time to find a new leader.”Speaking to TalkRadio, Duncan Smith said if May was not prepared to listen to members of her cabinet, it was time for Philip May to intervene. “The only person closest to her is clearly her husband, and I think somebody has to say look, nobody likes this … Politics is a nasty, sometimes brutal, ghastly business. But the reality is that she has no confidence any longer, not just in her party but in the cabinet as well. So the best thing for her and the best thing for everybody else is to break away and say its time to find a new leader.”
The fortunes of the environment secretary remain hard to predict and opinion is split in the party. His detractors believe he is deeply unpopular with the country and ruined his reputation for good when he stood against Boris Johnson at the last leadership race. Most MPs were delighted by his performance in the no-confidence vote where he tore into Jeremy Corbyn. But robust Brexiters dislike the fact he has stayed loyal even in the final days of the crumbling May regime. The environment secretary is to pitch himself as a “unity candidate” capable of attracting leavers and remainers, as he formally declared his candidacy saying: “I believe that I’m ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist party, ready to deliver Brexit and ready to lead this great country.” But robust Brexiters in particular dislike the fact that he stayed loyal even in the final days of the crumbling May regime.
While the response of many voters is likely to be "Who?", to some the health secretary is starting to have the makings of a from-the-sidelines contender. The former culture secretary is only 40 but has six years of frontbench experience, and is on to his second cabinet post. The longer the race goes on the more he gains ground for the seemingly basic virtues of being apparently competent and broadly similar to a normal human being. The health secretary remains a relative outsider, but the longer the race goes on, the more he gains ground for the seemingly basic virtues of being apparently competent and broadly similar to a normal human being, albeit a particularly energetic one. A concerted effort would probably require an image consultant.
The nickname "Theresa in trousers" has stuck. Most colleagues speak about his candidacy unenthusiastically and warn about his reputation with the country after the junior doctors’ strike. He could still succeed by bridging the leave-remain divide and attracting colleagues looking for a moderate grown-up, but recently he seemed unable to outline why his brand of Conservatism might appeal to voters. Fears that the foreign secretary would be another overly woolly compromise choice were hardly assuaged when after a set-piece speech he seemed unable to outline why his brand of Conservatism might appeal to voters.
The home secretary is reported to have told Tory MPs he is the only one who can beat Corbyn in a general election, but has made less of an impact than first predicted. Several MPs believe the case of the Isis bride Shamima Begum was mishandled and find Javid’s speeches and vision less than inspiring. The home secretary still has the same weaknesses: he is an uninspiring speaker and some worry he is too fond of headline-grabbing, illiberal political gestures. But he is almost as ubiquitous as Liz Truss, and clearly believes this is his time.
Still favourite for the top job, Johnson has kept himself out of the messiest Tory warfare in 2019 and has enthusiastic support from younger Brexiter MPs – and the patronage of Jacob Rees-Mogg. His supporters insist no other name on the list can connect with voters in the same way and win a general election. However, his reputation is still severely damaged by his time as foreign secretary and there is a concerted "anyone but Boris" campaign among party colleagues. The out-and-out favourite, so popular with the Tory grassroots that it would be hard for MPs to not make Johnson one of the final two. He has been relatively quiet recently, beyond his regular Telegraph column, but this is very deliberate.
Leadsom has revived her reputation somewhat during her tenure as Commons leader, especially her rounds in the ring with the Speaker, John Bercow. However, few believe she would ever be first choice again among Eurosceptics and a number of her former campaign team have said they will discourage her from running. It is yet to be seen how her resignation on the eve of the European elections will play with MPs. The former House of Commons leader, who left Theresa May as the last candidate standing when she pulled out of the previous leadership race in 2016, has decided to have another tilt at the top job, saying she has the “experience and confidence” to “lead this country into a brighter future”. But even with her staunch Brexiter tendencies, she would be seen as an outsider.
The former cabinet minister has already announced her intention to run. She has the Brexit credentials, having quit as work and pensions secretary in protest at Theresa May's withdrawal agreement, and claims to already have enough support from fellow MPs to make her bid viable. The housing minister is credited as the convener of both Conservative leavers and remainers to develop a compromise on May’s withdrawal agreement. He said there was a “yearning for change”. The 52-year-old is a former deputy mayor of London and entered the Commons in 2015 when David Cameron’s Conservatives won a majority. His name was given to the “Malthouse compromise” – a proposal drawn up by backbenchers from leave and remain wings of the Tory party, which would have implemented May’s Brexit deal with the backstop replaced by alternative arrangements.
Previously seen as a definite outsider, her promotion from international development secretary to defence after the sacking of Gavin Williamson has significantly bolstered her position. As both a confirmed Brexiter and a social liberal she could unite different camps, but she remains relatively untested. The former work and pensions secretary, who quit last year over May’s Brexit plans, has launched her own in-party campaign group/leadership vehicle called Blue Collar Conservatism, promising to make the party more amenable to voters in deprived communities – mainly through a promise to deliver a strong Brexit and policies such as diverting much of the foreign aid budget to schools and police.
The former Brexit secretary has a loyal fanbase and a professional team, including support from Vote Leave’s ex-comms director Paul Stephenson. MPs are forming the view that the next party leader should be a younger face from a new generation of politicians – which gives Raab the edge over Johnson.  Few things say “would-be leader in waiting” like a kitchen photoshoot with your spouse, and the former Brexit secretary duly obliged with this imageawash with tasteful pastel hues. He formally launched his bid in the Mail on Sunday. Among the more core constituency of Conservative MPs, Raab has been pushing hard, as has his semi-official “Ready for Raab” Twitter feed.
While she has not officially ruled herself out, Rudd’s remainer tendencies and slender majority in her Hastings constituency mean the work and pensions secretary is largely being courted for who she might eventually endorse. The cabinet’s most recent arrival – Mordaunt’s promotion to defence led to Stewart becoming international development secretary – certainly has the necessary ambition and self-belief, plus a privileged if unorthodox backstory covering Eton, Oxford, a senior role in postwar Iraq and a bestselling book about walking across Afghanistan. He remains an outsider, not least because of his remain tendencies and slightly 2010 view of compassionate Conservatism.
As much for effort as inspiration. The chief secretary to the Treasury has been almost everywhere in the last few weeks – including modelling some slightly alarming trousers in the Mail on Sunday – to explain her free market, libertarian philosophy. Everyone knows what she thinks, but this will still perhaps not be enough. Sir Graham Brady, Penny Mordaunt and James Brokenshire are yet to declare their intentions. Liz Truss and Amber Rudd have ruled themselves out.
Among the senior figures not expected to run are Brandon Lewis, the party chairman, Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, and Philip Hammond, the chancellor, who acknowledges that he is not popular enough. Gavin Williamson’s recent sacking after the Huawei leak inquiry will also surely rule him out as an option this time around. Among other senior figures not expected to run are Brandon Lewis, Chris Grayling and Philip Hammond. Gavin Williamson’s recent sacking after the Huawei leak inquiry will also surely rule him out as an option this time around.
Asked what he would advise the cabinet if the bill was published on Friday as May plans, Duncan Smith said: “If this bill is published tomorrow, I’m afraid you have to walk. And you are not doing the prime minister a kindness if you assist her in this charade any longer.”Asked what he would advise the cabinet if the bill was published on Friday as May plans, Duncan Smith said: “If this bill is published tomorrow, I’m afraid you have to walk. And you are not doing the prime minister a kindness if you assist her in this charade any longer.”
On Friday May is due to discuss a timetable for her departure with Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers. The committee’s executive held a secret sealed ballot on Wednesday on whether to rewrite party rules to allow another leadership challenge if she refuses to quit. If May does not give a date for resignation, the sealed ballots will be opened.On Friday May is due to discuss a timetable for her departure with Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers. The committee’s executive held a secret sealed ballot on Wednesday on whether to rewrite party rules to allow another leadership challenge if she refuses to quit. If May does not give a date for resignation, the sealed ballots will be opened.
Duncan Smith said if May resigned now the party could have a new pro-Brexit leader by July who was prepared to the leave the EU without a deal. “The leadership election could be complete if it was started now before we rose for the summer break, giving a new leader the chance to get their ducks in a row and get over to Europe and say right, this is it, this is dead, this is what you have to do or we’re off on the 31st [of October] without a withdrawal agreement.”Duncan Smith said if May resigned now the party could have a new pro-Brexit leader by July who was prepared to the leave the EU without a deal. “The leadership election could be complete if it was started now before we rose for the summer break, giving a new leader the chance to get their ducks in a row and get over to Europe and say right, this is it, this is dead, this is what you have to do or we’re off on the 31st [of October] without a withdrawal agreement.”
Duncan Smith said May’s speech on Tuesday setting out her 10-point “new deal” was “as close to a disaster as I could possibly imagine”.Duncan Smith said May’s speech on Tuesday setting out her 10-point “new deal” was “as close to a disaster as I could possibly imagine”.
He added: “The prime minister has so fixed herself to the idea that she would deliver this bill that it has almost become an obsession. The reality now is that somebody needs to calmly sit down and say look, it’s over for this withdrawal agreement.”He added: “The prime minister has so fixed herself to the idea that she would deliver this bill that it has almost become an obsession. The reality now is that somebody needs to calmly sit down and say look, it’s over for this withdrawal agreement.”
Duncan Smith predicted the party would get a “trouncing” in Thursday’s European elections. He said the party’s “big mistake” had been not choosing a leader who genuinely believed in Brexit.Duncan Smith predicted the party would get a “trouncing” in Thursday’s European elections. He said the party’s “big mistake” had been not choosing a leader who genuinely believed in Brexit.
He blamed Michael Gove, now the environment secretary, for derailing Boris Johnson’s bid to become leader in 2016. Duncan Smith said: “Had the original election in which Michael Gove decided to knife Boris Johnson and the whole thing collapsed from the leaders of the Brexit group – had that not been the case I think we’d be out by now. That has been the tragedy from the word go: that personal ambition was placed ahead of delivering for the British people. That must never happen again.”He blamed Michael Gove, now the environment secretary, for derailing Boris Johnson’s bid to become leader in 2016. Duncan Smith said: “Had the original election in which Michael Gove decided to knife Boris Johnson and the whole thing collapsed from the leaders of the Brexit group – had that not been the case I think we’d be out by now. That has been the tragedy from the word go: that personal ambition was placed ahead of delivering for the British people. That must never happen again.”
He added: “A leading Brexiteer has to lead the party and the country out at the very latest by 31 October, deal or no deal.”He added: “A leading Brexiteer has to lead the party and the country out at the very latest by 31 October, deal or no deal.”
Theresa MayTheresa May
Conservative leadershipConservative leadership
ConservativesConservatives
Iain Duncan SmithIain Duncan Smith
BrexitBrexit
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