Theresa May has slapped down Boris Johnson after he unleashed another attack on her Brexit plans — by suggesting the former foreign secretary would fail to offer “serious” leadership.
The Prime Minister rarely returns fire with such candour, but it comes amid growing anger at No 10 at what they see as Mr Johnson angling to replace her.
Mr Johnson, who quit Cabinet in the summer over her Chequers proposals, claimed today the blueprint meant Britain had “gone into battle with the white flag fluttering over our leading tank”.
He wrote in his Daily Telegraph column that the “inevitable” outcome of Brexit talks is a “victory for the EU, with the UK lying flat on the canvas with 12 stars circling symbolically over our semi-conscious head”.
Mrs May’s official spokesman said in response: “Boris Johnson resigned over Chequers.
"There are no new ideas in this article to respond to. What we need at this time is serious leadership with a serious plan.
"That is exactly what the country has with this Prime Minister and this Brexit plan.”
In what will be seen as a swipe at hardline Brexiteers and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, the spokesman insisted: “The Chequers proposals are the only credible and negotiable plan which has been put forward and which will deliver on the will of the British people.”
However, No 10 refused to rule out further concessions to Brussels, saying negotiations were continuing. “What the PM has said very clearly is that we have now made our move and it’s now for the EU to make its move,” the PM’s spokesman added.
Earlier one of Mrs May’s closest allies dismissed Mr Johnson’s latest attack.
Damian Green, the Prime Minister’s former de facto deputy, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I don’t think using words like surrender and white flags and so on is consonant with the seriousness of the situation. We are at the crunch stage of these negotiations.”
Prominent Tory Remainer Sarah Wollaston tore into Mr Johnson, tweeting: “No surprise to see the great charlatan blaming others for a mess of his own creation.”
Home Secretary Sajid Javid appealed for all MPs to “unite” behind the Prime Minister and her Chequers blueprint.
Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab was pictured going into No 10 this morning with a document repeating some of the Government’s Brexit mantras including “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”.
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Former foreign secretary David Miliband warns in today’s Standard that a “bad deal” is a “far bigger danger” than Britain quitting the EU with no deal.
