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Philip Hammond preparing for political 'fight of a lifetime' Philip Hammond preparing for political 'fight of a lifetime'
(30 minutes later)
Philip Hammond has said he is gearing up for the “fight of a lifetime” against deselection threats and government aggression as he leads the Conservative rebel charge to stop a no-deal Brexit in parliament.Philip Hammond has said he is gearing up for the “fight of a lifetime” against deselection threats and government aggression as he leads the Conservative rebel charge to stop a no-deal Brexit in parliament.
The former chancellor vowed to defend the Tories from the “incomers and entryists” he believes are controlling the party, and said there were enough Tory rebels to back a cross-party bill that would delay Brexit. The former chancellor vowed to defend the Tories from the “incomers and entryists” he believes are controlling the party, and said there were enough Tory rebels to back a cross-party bill to delay Brexit.
He believes he and Tory colleagues now have the numbers in parliament to pass a bill despite his claim that government whips are “threatening people” with an “aggressive operation” not to rebel. He believes he and Tory colleagues now have the numbers in parliament to pass a bill despite his claim that government whips are using an “aggressive operation” to threaten people not to rebel.
He also vowed to explore legal action if there are moves to remove him as a Conservative MP and described the prime minister’s belief he can renegotiate the backstop arrangement as “nonsense”. He also said he would explore legal action if moves were made to remove him as a Conservative MP and described the prime minister’s belief he could renegotiate the backstop arrangement as “nonsense”.
He told the Radio 4 Today programme: “There’s a group of Conservatives who feel very strongly that now is the time where we have to put the national interest ahead of any threats to us personally and our careers. Hammond told the Radio 4 Today programme: “There’s a group of Conservatives who feel very strongly that now is the time where we have to put the national interest ahead of any threats to us personally and our careers.
“I think there will be enough people for us to get this over the line.”“I think there will be enough people for us to get this over the line.”
Conservatives who rebel against Boris Johnson and back legislation intended to block no deal are expected to have the whip withdrawn and effectively be thrown out of the party.Conservatives who rebel against Boris Johnson and back legislation intended to block no deal are expected to have the whip withdrawn and effectively be thrown out of the party.
Legislation drawn up by the Labour MP Hilary Benn, which Hammond is backing, also has the support of senior Tories including the former justice secretary David Gauke and former minister Alistair Burt. Legislation drawn up by the Labour MP Hilary Benn has the support of senior Tories including Hammond, the former justice secretary David Gauke and the former minister for international development Alistair Burt.
The former minister Guto Bebb told the Politics Home website he was prepared to lose the whip to vote to block no deal to protect hill farmers in his Welsh constituency, but knew he would be branded a traitor by the prime minister. Guto Bebb, another former minister, told the Politics Home website he was prepared to lose the whip to vote to block no deal to protect farmers in his Welsh constituency, but knew he would be branded a traitor by the prime minister.
He said: “I will do so knowing that my party’s leader and, sadly, more than a few of its members will regard me as a traitor to the Conservative party.He said: “I will do so knowing that my party’s leader and, sadly, more than a few of its members will regard me as a traitor to the Conservative party.
“But I reject that, absolutely, and I know when I do vote against no deal, I will be far truer to Conservative tradition than anyone who traipses through the lobbies out of fear, opportunism or simply unthinking loyalty.”“But I reject that, absolutely, and I know when I do vote against no deal, I will be far truer to Conservative tradition than anyone who traipses through the lobbies out of fear, opportunism or simply unthinking loyalty.”
Hammond said effective deselections would be “rank hypocrisy” given that eight serving cabinet ministers have defied the whip on Brexit votes in the past year. Hammond said deselections would be “rank hypocrisy” given that eight serving cabinet ministers had defied the whip on Brexit votes in the past year.
He has been readopted as the Conservative candidate for his Runnymede and Weybridge seat and said he believed Downing Street had no power to stop him standing. He has been re-adopted as the Conservative candidate for his Runnymede and Weybridge seat and said he believed Downing Street had no power to stop him standing.
“I don’t believe [they can stop me standing]. There would certainly be the fight of a lifetime if they tried to,” he said.“I don’t believe [they can stop me standing]. There would certainly be the fight of a lifetime if they tried to,” he said.
Asked if it would lead to a legal fight, he replied: “Possibly.”Asked if it would lead to a legal fight, he replied: “Possibly.”
“I am going to defend my party against incomers, entryists who are trying to turn it from a broad church to a narrow faction.” “I am going to defend my party against incomers, entryists, who are trying to turn it from a broad church to a narrow faction.”
In a thinly veiled swipe at the prime minister’s chief strategist, Dominic Cummings, who it is claimed is not a Conservative member, he said: “People who are the heart of this government, who are probably not even members of the Conservative party, care nothing about the future of the Conservatives and I intend to defend my party against them.” In a thinly veiled swipe at the prime minister’s chief strategist, Dominic Cummings, who it is claimed is not a Conservative member, he said: “People who are at the heart of this government, who are probably not even members of the Conservative party, care nothing about the future of the Conservatives and I intend to defend my party against them.”
Plans by the prime minister to try to get the Northern Irish backstop removed in a renegotiated Brexit deal to appease some Tories on the right were described as a non-starter by the former chancellor.Plans by the prime minister to try to get the Northern Irish backstop removed in a renegotiated Brexit deal to appease some Tories on the right were described as a non-starter by the former chancellor.
“There is no progress. There are no substantive negotiations going on. “There is no progress. There are no substantive negotiations going on. Brussels, Berlin, Paris are still waiting for the UK proposal,” he said.
“Brussels, Berlin, Paris are still waiting for the UK proposal,” he said. And he dismissed claims by Johnson in his speech outside Downing Street that Tory rebels were undermining his Brexit position with the EU.
Accusations from Johnson in his speech outside Downing Street that Tory rebels were undermining his Brexit position with the EU were described as “nonsense” by Hammond.
“He’s talking nonsense. The European Union’s position has been clear and consistent throughout. They haven’t changed their position at all. Their position is the backstop will have to remain in the withdrawal agreement,” he said.“He’s talking nonsense. The European Union’s position has been clear and consistent throughout. They haven’t changed their position at all. Their position is the backstop will have to remain in the withdrawal agreement,” he said.
On a general election, he said the prime minister was entitled to move the date and he might choose to do so. This could lead to a scenario where the UK crashed out of the EU before voters went to the polls.On a general election, he said the prime minister was entitled to move the date and he might choose to do so. This could lead to a scenario where the UK crashed out of the EU before voters went to the polls.
He said: “Once an election is called and parliament is dissolved, the prime minister has control over the election date.”He said: “Once an election is called and parliament is dissolved, the prime minister has control over the election date.”
He also hit out at the sacking of his former aide Sonia Khan, who was escorted from Downing Street by an armed police officer after being sacked on the spot by Cummings. Khan, who was working for the new chancellor, Sajid Javid, had allegedly been in touch with members of Hammond’s team.He also hit out at the sacking of his former aide Sonia Khan, who was escorted from Downing Street by an armed police officer after being sacked on the spot by Cummings. Khan, who was working for the new chancellor, Sajid Javid, had allegedly been in touch with members of Hammond’s team.
He said he believed she would be likely to win an employment tribunal case if she were to take legal action against over her dismissal. He said he believed she would probably win an employment tribunal case if she were to take legal action against over her dismissal.
He said: “I have had no contact at all with Sonia Khan since I left Downing Street.He said: “I have had no contact at all with Sonia Khan since I left Downing Street.
“Ironically she is a very firm Brexiteer and she didn’t agree with my position on Brexit. It’s extraordinary that Dominic Cummings should pick on her. If she went to an employment tribunal I expect she would win her case.”“Ironically she is a very firm Brexiteer and she didn’t agree with my position on Brexit. It’s extraordinary that Dominic Cummings should pick on her. If she went to an employment tribunal I expect she would win her case.”
Philip HammondPhilip Hammond
ConservativesConservatives
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