Defiant Hammond: Rebels can stop ‘disingenuous’ PM
A defiant Philip Hammond has said he and the rebel alliance can stop the “disingenuous” government from forcing a no-deal Brexit.
The former chancellor, who was last night reselected by his local constituency, told the BBC’s Today programme he was supporting “a very modest bill” that seeks to extend Article 50 by three months to the end of January if no deal is in place.
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The two-page bill was published last night by Labour MP Hilary Benn and Alistair Burt, is being supported by 10 other MPs including former justice secretary David Gauke, independent MP Nick Boles.
Asked if they had the numbers to get the bill through the Commons, Hammond, a prominent member of the so-called “Gaukeward squad” told BBC: “I think so.”
Colleagues have been “incensed” by Number 10’s tactics, which have included proroguing parliament to prevent MPs from cancelling conference recess and threatening to withdraw the whip from rebels, as well as saying they will call a general election.
Hammond slammed the government for being “disingenuous” about the amount of progress being made in talks with the EU.
“There is no progress,” he said. “There are no substantive negotiations going on… Brussels, Berlin, Paris are still waiting for the UK proposal”.
Yesterday he sought clarity from Johnson about what had changed in the last 11 days, since the Prime Minister met with his French and German counterparts Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel, as well as European Council President Donald Tusk.
Hammond also called out the government’s threat to sack MPs who might rebel against Johnson today.
“This is my party. I’ve been a member of this party for 45 years. I am going to defend my party against incomers, entryists who are trying to turn it from a broad church to a narrow faction,” he said.
That sentiment was shared by former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who this morning told the BBC: “Of course it’s painful. I’ve been an MP for 22 years, a member of the Conservative party for 48.
“I see myself as Conservative, I’m not about to join another party, but if ultimately the Prime Minister and leader of my party is doing something which I think is so fundamentally wrong, then I can’t continue supporting it. If that means he decides to chuck me out of the party, well then that’s a matter for him.”
Main image: Getty