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Tory leadership: Johnson and Hunt in clash over Brexit deadline Tory leadership: Johnson and Hunt trade blows over Brexit and Trump
(about 1 hour later)
Boris Johnson has clashed with Jeremy Hunt over whether he would be prepared to resign if he fails to take the UK out of the EU by 31 October. Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have clashed on Brexit and UK relations with Donald Trump in a lively and occasionally bad-tempered TV debate.
In a head-to-head debate on ITV, Mr Hunt accused his rival of not being willing to "put his neck on the line" if he failed to meet the deadline. Mr Hunt accused his rival of not being willing to "put his neck on the line" by saying he would quit as PM if he did not hit the 31 October deadline.
"It is not die or die," he said. "It is Boris in No 10 that matters." Mr Johnson said he admired his rival's ability "to change his mind" so often - a dig at the fact Mr Hunt voted Remain.
Mr Johnson said it was clear his rival was "not absolutely committed" to the deadline, calling him "defeatist". Mr Johnson declined to condemn Mr Trump for his response to the emails row.
He refused to confirm whether he would keep the UK's top diplomat in the US, Sir Kim Darroch, in his post until December, when he is due to retire, after Mr Trump said he was no longer prepared to deal with him.
However, he insisted that only he, as prime minister, would take "important and politically sensitive" decisions such as who should represent the UK in the US.
'Not do or die'
During the first head-to-head debate of the campaign, the two men clashed over their different Brexit strategies, leadership styles and why they were equipped to be prime minister.
The foreign secretary immediately went on the attack in the opening exchanges, pressing his rival on whether he would quit if he failed to take the UK out of the EU by 31 October.
He said by failing to answer the question, Mr Johnson - who previously said the deadline was a "do or die" issue for him - showed he was motivated by personal ambition not leadership.
"It is not do or die," Mr Hunt said. "It is Boris in Number 10 that matters."
Accusing his rival of not being straight with the electorate, he said "being prime minister is about telling people what they need to hear not what they want to hear".
'Defeatist'
Mr Johnson said it was clear his rival was "not absolutely committed" to the deadline himself, calling him "defeatist".
He urged Mr Hunt to guarantee that Brexit would happen by Christmas, adding that the EU would not take a "papier mache deadline" seriously.He urged Mr Hunt to guarantee that Brexit would happen by Christmas, adding that the EU would not take a "papier mache deadline" seriously.
"If we are going to have a 31 October deadline, we must stick to it," he said. "The EU will understand we are ready and will give us the deal we need.""If we are going to have a 31 October deadline, we must stick to it," he said. "The EU will understand we are ready and will give us the deal we need."
'Peddling optimism' "I don't want to hold out to the EU the prospect that they might encourage my resignation by refusing to agree a deal," he added. "I think it is extraordinary we should be telling the British electorate we are willing to kick the can down the road.
The two men are taking part in their first head-to-head debate in front of a live TV audience. "I would like to know how many more days my opponent would be willing to delay."
Party members are voting on who should succeed Theresa May, with the winner and next PM to be revealed on 23 July. Both men have said they would be prepared to leave the EU without a deal, but Mr Johnson has been far more relaxed about the impact that could have.
The hour-long debate is being broadcast on ITV. Mr Hunt suggested his rival was "minimising the risk of a no-deal Brexit" and "peddling optimism", but Mr Johnson said the UK had had a "bellyful of pessimism" and the UK could look forward to a bright future outside the EU.
In the opening exchanges, the two men clashed on their differing Brexit strategies, with Mr Hunt accusing his rival of refusing to commit to resign if he didn't deliver it on time. The pair also disagreed over whether they might be prepared to suspend Parliament to force through a no-deal exit - so-called prorogation.
Mr Johnson said it was "absolutely vital" that the UK left by the revised deadline - but his opponent accused him of "minimising the risk of a no-deal Brexit" and "peddling optimism".
"Being prime minister is about telling people what they need to hear not what they want to hear," Mr Hunt said.
But former Mayor of London Mr Johnson said the UK had had a "bellyful of pessimism" and the UK could look forward to a bright future outside the EU.
They also disagreed over whether they might be prepared to suspend Parliament to force through a no-deal exit.
While Mr Hunt categorically ruled this out, Mr Johnson said he would "not take anything off the table".While Mr Hunt categorically ruled this out, Mr Johnson said he would "not take anything off the table".
Earlier on Tuesday, a gap opened up between the pair over their response to the row over leaked emails from the UK's ambassador to the US. Trump relations
Unlike his rival, Mr Hunt chose to strongly criticise President Donald Trump's comments on the matter. On the escalating diplomatic row with the US, Mr Hunt said the President's criticism of Sir Kim Darroch had been ill-judged.
During a campaign visit, asked whether Mr Trump was right to attack Mrs May and the way talks with the EU have been handled, Mr Johnson declined to criticise the president, instead replying: "Myself, I have said some pretty critical things about the Brexit negotiations so far and that's one of the reasons I'm standing." He said he would, if he became PM, not be forced into recalling the diplomat early.
Mr Johnson said the US president had been "dragged into a political row" not of his making, and suggested his outburst on Twitter, in which he called Sir Kim a "pompous fool", had "not necessarily been the right thing to do".
But he declined to comment on Sir Kim's future, only asking Mr Hunt to rule out "extending his term out of sympathy".
Earlier in the day during a campaign visit, asked whether Mr Trump was right to attack Mrs May and the way talks with the EU have been handled, Mr Johnson declined to criticise the president, instead replying: "Myself, I have said some pretty critical things about the Brexit negotiations so far and that's one of the reasons I'm standing."
However, Jeremy Hunt later described the president's comments as "disrespectful and wrong to our prime minister and my country".However, Jeremy Hunt later described the president's comments as "disrespectful and wrong to our prime minister and my country".
Party members are voting on who should succeed Theresa May, with the winner and next PM to be revealed on 23 July.
The 160,000 or so Conservative members eligible to take part have already begun voting by post, after ballot papers started arriving at people's homes last week.The 160,000 or so Conservative members eligible to take part have already begun voting by post, after ballot papers started arriving at people's homes last week.
It will be the first time a sitting prime minister has been chosen by party members.It will be the first time a sitting prime minister has been chosen by party members.
Mr Hunt had been pressing for the TV debate to take place earlier, warning that many people will have made up their minds before seeing the two men cross-questioned on live TV - but Mr Johnson has resisted calls to take part in other head-to-head encounters. Apart from Brexit there's been precious little talk so far in this contest about how Britain will run its affairs with the rest of the world. That changed tonight given the enormous controversy over these leaked emails.
Apart from Brexit there's been precious little talk so far in this contest about how Britain will run its affairs with the rest of the world. I think that will all change tonight given the enormous controversy over these leaked emails.
It's Jeremy Hunt, normally seen as the more cautious of the two men, who's speaking much more plainly and directly to Donald Trump on the matter, while Boris Johnson has said only that he's not embarrassed about being close to the White House.It's Jeremy Hunt, normally seen as the more cautious of the two men, who's speaking much more plainly and directly to Donald Trump on the matter, while Boris Johnson has said only that he's not embarrassed about being close to the White House.
It'll be fascinating to see whether or not Mr Johnson is willing to use stiffer language tonight, to follow his rival in rebuking the president.
More broadly, this is all a reminder of how tricky and sensitive the crucial relationship with the US is, and of the challenge that whoever enters No 10 faces in dealing with a president who seems to love stirring up controversy.More broadly, this is all a reminder of how tricky and sensitive the crucial relationship with the US is, and of the challenge that whoever enters No 10 faces in dealing with a president who seems to love stirring up controversy.
The show, entitled Britain's Next Prime Minister: The ITV Debate, is hosted by journalist Julie Etchingham in front of a studio audience of 200 people at MediaCityUK in Salford. The show, entitled Britain's Next Prime Minister: The ITV Debate, was hosted by journalist Julie Etchingham in front of a studio audience of 200 people at MediaCityUK in Salford.
After short opening statements, the two men faced questions from ITV viewers submitted in advance and selected by the broadcaster.After short opening statements, the two men faced questions from ITV viewers submitted in advance and selected by the broadcaster.
Mr Johnson, the former Mayor of London, is regarded as the clear frontrunner in the race, having won the support of more than 50% of Tory MPs in the first phase of the contest.Mr Johnson, the former Mayor of London, is regarded as the clear frontrunner in the race, having won the support of more than 50% of Tory MPs in the first phase of the contest.
Mr Hunt, the current foreign secretary, has in recent days won the endorsements of former leaders Sir John Major and Lord Hague.Mr Hunt, the current foreign secretary, has in recent days won the endorsements of former leaders Sir John Major and Lord Hague.
Date debate
Both men have said they would prefer to leave the EU on 31 October with a negotiated deal but are willing to get out without an agreement if necessary.
They have also made bold spending promises and offers of tax cuts - which have been criticised by financial experts and Chancellor Philip Hammond.
Earlier, Lord Hague - also a former foreign secretary - said one of the reasons he was backing Mr Hunt was because he was not wedded to having to leave the EU on 31 October.
He told Today: "My own opinion… is that it's wrong to set a specific date. Would we really say we have to leave on 31 October if we thought that we could bet better prepared for that on 31 December, or if we had made an agreement with the EU in the course of October and it was necessary to pass the legislation through?
"It is important not to be hooked on a single date, and I think Jeremy Hunt has made that point, but Boris Johnson is hooked on a specific date and that is one of the reasons I haven't voted for him."