This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/05/world/europe/jo-johnson-resign-brexit.html

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Jo Johnson, Prime Minister’s Brother, Resigns From U.K. Parliament Jo Johnson, Prime Minister’s Brother, Resigns From U.K. Parliament
(32 minutes later)
LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s uncompromising, take-no-prisoners approach to Brexit on Tuesday drove the grandson of Winston Churchill from the Conservative Party.LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s uncompromising, take-no-prisoners approach to Brexit on Tuesday drove the grandson of Winston Churchill from the Conservative Party.
On Thursday, it pushed out the prime minister’s brother Jo Johnson, a Conservative lawmaker and government minister.On Thursday, it pushed out the prime minister’s brother Jo Johnson, a Conservative lawmaker and government minister.
“In recent weeks I’ve been torn between family loyalty and the national interest,” Jo Johnson wrote in a Twitter post announcing his resignation from his ministerial post and his seat in Britain’s Parliament. “It’s an unresolvable tension & time for others to take on my roles as MP & Minister.”“In recent weeks I’ve been torn between family loyalty and the national interest,” Jo Johnson wrote in a Twitter post announcing his resignation from his ministerial post and his seat in Britain’s Parliament. “It’s an unresolvable tension & time for others to take on my roles as MP & Minister.”
The resignation punctuated what has been, by some measures, one of the most miserable starts ever for a British prime minister, with the government losing its first five votes in Parliament, losing control of the legislative agenda and driving a wedge through the Conservative Party by purging lawmakers who broke with the government in votes this week. The resignation punctuated what has been, by some measures, one of the most miserable starts ever for a British prime minister, with the government losing at least four votes in Parliament, losing control of the legislative agenda and driving a wedge through the Conservative Party by purging lawmakers who broke with the government in votes this week.
[We profiled Boris Johnson’s clan a few months ago. For them, blood was thicker than political conviction.][We profiled Boris Johnson’s clan a few months ago. For them, blood was thicker than political conviction.]
The lawmakers’ expulsion, by most reports, was the final straw for Jo Johnson, who has always been on the more pragmatic and pro-European wing of the Conservative Party, and his resignation is both a family rupture and another symbol of how the Tories are fracturing.The lawmakers’ expulsion, by most reports, was the final straw for Jo Johnson, who has always been on the more pragmatic and pro-European wing of the Conservative Party, and his resignation is both a family rupture and another symbol of how the Tories are fracturing.
It is also in keeping with the entire history of Brexit, which almost from the moment the referendum was scheduled, has been one of the most divisive and intractable issues in modern British history. It has pitted young against old and urban against rural, while splitting political parties, friendships and, in this case, families.It is also in keeping with the entire history of Brexit, which almost from the moment the referendum was scheduled, has been one of the most divisive and intractable issues in modern British history. It has pitted young against old and urban against rural, while splitting political parties, friendships and, in this case, families.
Younger and more cerebral than his bombastic brother, Jo Johnson has followed a similar career path to the prime minister’s. He also has some of the ambition gene nurtured by his father, Stanley, a former European Union official, and by his journalist sister, Rachel.Younger and more cerebral than his bombastic brother, Jo Johnson has followed a similar career path to the prime minister’s. He also has some of the ambition gene nurtured by his father, Stanley, a former European Union official, and by his journalist sister, Rachel.
This is not the first time Jo Johnson has resigned from the government. He quit last year in protest at the handling of Brexit by his brother’s predecessor, Theresa May — although on that occasion he kept his seat in Parliament. At that point, Boris Johnson was busy undermining Mrs. May’s strategy from the pro-Brexit right.This is not the first time Jo Johnson has resigned from the government. He quit last year in protest at the handling of Brexit by his brother’s predecessor, Theresa May — although on that occasion he kept his seat in Parliament. At that point, Boris Johnson was busy undermining Mrs. May’s strategy from the pro-Brexit right.
Jo Johnson quit last year in order to call for a second referendum on Brexit that would give British voters an opportunity to rethink the policy.Jo Johnson quit last year in order to call for a second referendum on Brexit that would give British voters an opportunity to rethink the policy.
At the time, one theory was that they were working in tandem to wreck Mrs. May’s government and that, if Boris succeeded her, Jo would end up in the cabinet.At the time, one theory was that they were working in tandem to wreck Mrs. May’s government and that, if Boris succeeded her, Jo would end up in the cabinet.
That more or less came true because, when Boris Johnson announced his government in July, his brother was given a ministerial job that granted him the right to attend cabinet meetings, albeit without full cabinet status.That more or less came true because, when Boris Johnson announced his government in July, his brother was given a ministerial job that granted him the right to attend cabinet meetings, albeit without full cabinet status.
But Thursday’s announcement underscores the dismay with which moderate Conservatives have reacted to Boris Johnson’s brutal tactics — inspired by his adviser Dominic Cummings who is fast become a hate figure among centrists.But Thursday’s announcement underscores the dismay with which moderate Conservatives have reacted to Boris Johnson’s brutal tactics — inspired by his adviser Dominic Cummings who is fast become a hate figure among centrists.
In all, 21 Conservatives were purged for voting against the government when they supported a bill to try to prevent Britain from leaving the European Union without an agreement. They included Nicholas Soames, a formidable and popular figure who happens to be a grandson of Winston Churchill — the man whom Boris Johnson claims to admire so much that he wrote a biography of him.In all, 21 Conservatives were purged for voting against the government when they supported a bill to try to prevent Britain from leaving the European Union without an agreement. They included Nicholas Soames, a formidable and popular figure who happens to be a grandson of Winston Churchill — the man whom Boris Johnson claims to admire so much that he wrote a biography of him.
That cull underscored Boris Johnson’s decision to transform the Conservatives into a party prepared to adopt the hardest and most aggressive form of Brexit. Anyone not signed up to that position will not be allowed to run for the party in the next election.That cull underscored Boris Johnson’s decision to transform the Conservatives into a party prepared to adopt the hardest and most aggressive form of Brexit. Anyone not signed up to that position will not be allowed to run for the party in the next election.
And, on reflection, Jo Johnson probably thought that included him.And, on reflection, Jo Johnson probably thought that included him.
Jo Johnson is a former journalist and Paris correspondent for The Financial Times. In journalism, he was never as famous as his noisier brother, but the family resemblance was instantly recognizable and he sometimes used to bridle when asked whether he was related to Boris.Jo Johnson is a former journalist and Paris correspondent for The Financial Times. In journalism, he was never as famous as his noisier brother, but the family resemblance was instantly recognizable and he sometimes used to bridle when asked whether he was related to Boris.
But in a hugely competitive family, he was also more academically successful than his elder brother. He secured a first-class degree from Oxford — one of the thwarted ambitions of his brother, who just missed out on one.But in a hugely competitive family, he was also more academically successful than his elder brother. He secured a first-class degree from Oxford — one of the thwarted ambitions of his brother, who just missed out on one.
According to one version of the events after Jo Johnson won the degree, it was left to Rachel to inform Boris. “Have you heard the bad news about Jo?” she is said to have said.According to one version of the events after Jo Johnson won the degree, it was left to Rachel to inform Boris. “Have you heard the bad news about Jo?” she is said to have said.
Their father engendered fierce competition among the siblings but, until now, they all seemed to get along together despite philosophical differences over the biggest issue of the day.Their father engendered fierce competition among the siblings but, until now, they all seemed to get along together despite philosophical differences over the biggest issue of the day.
Yet sibling rivalries can be fatal in the often incestuous world of British politics. When Ed Miliband stood against his elder brother David for the leadership of the Labour Party in 2010, it tore the family apart.Yet sibling rivalries can be fatal in the often incestuous world of British politics. When Ed Miliband stood against his elder brother David for the leadership of the Labour Party in 2010, it tore the family apart.
This resignation could be more damaging still — not just for the Johnsons but for a prime minister who, in less than two months, has lost the support not just of Parliament, but also, visibly, of his family. At the time, Boris Johnson had some harsh words for the Miliband brothers.
“We don’t do things that way, that’s a very left-wing thing,” he said. “Only a socialist could do that to his brother, only a socialist could regard familial ties as being so trivial as to shaft his own brother.”
“Only lefties can think like that,” he said, adding: “They see people as discrete agents devoid of ties to society or to each other, and that’s how Stalin could murder 20 million people.”