Boris Johnson 'could face Tory coup' over no-deal Brexit stance

[nitpicker]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/24/boris-johnson-tory-coup-deal-brexit-tobias-ellwood-jeremy-hunt

Boris Johnson 'could face Tory coup' over no-deal Brexit stance

Peter Walker Political correspondent

Mon 24 Jun 2019 09.05 BST Last modified on Mon 24 Jun 2019 09.30 BST

Jeremy Hunt has stepped up his criticism of Boris Johnson for avoiding media scrutiny in the Tory leadership campaign, calling it “disrespectful”, as another minister said Johnson could be brought down by his own MPs if he pushed for a no-deal Brexit.

Tobias Ellwood, the junior defence minister, said it was possible that the decision by Johnson actively to seek no deal could push some Conservatives to support a no-confidence motion against his government. “I believe that absolutely is the case,” Ellwood told the BBC. “I think a dozen or so members of parliament would be on our side, would be voting against supporting a no deal and that would include ministers as well as backbenchers.”
(snip)

But Hunt was scathing about Johnson’s decision to avoid almost all media interviews and debates, calling it “very disrespectful to Conservative party members”.

Johnson has agreed to take part in an ITV event on 9 July, by which point party members will have received their ballots. But he is avoiding a planned Sky debate on Tuesday.
(snip)

[LeftishBrit]

1. Thank god there seem to be a few MPs, even Tory ones, who are not totally on the barmy end of barmy

[Ghost Dog]

2. Labour plans for a one-day Prime Minister if Boris Johnson wins

It would be a perilous moment for the new prime minister as the Conservatives have a working majority of only four

... Labour sources confirmed that the party stood by its commitment to table an instant vote of no confidence in the winner of the Tory leadership contest...

... If he became prime minister Mr Johnson could struggle to win over the support of Remain-minded MPs on his back benches because of his insistence that he will lead Britain out of the European Union with or without a deal.

In theory he could be brought down if just two of his MPs vote with every member of the opposition parties. The Queen would then invite someone else – potentially Mr Corbyn – to form a viable government within 14 days.

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/labour-plans-for-a-one-day-prime-minister-if-boris-johnson-wins/

[Denzil_DC]

3. Sadly, it won't be as clear-cut as we might hope.

On 12 June, 8 Labour MPs voted against a Labour motion to block a no-deal Brexit: Kevin Barron, Ronnie Campbell, Jim Fitzpatrick , Caroline Flint , Stephen Hepburn , Kate Hoey, John Mann and Graham Stringer. And 13 more abstained: Clive Efford, Julie Elliott, Paul Farrelly, Hugh Gaffney, Imran Hussain, Barbara Keeley, Ian Lucas, Gordon Marsden, Melanie Onn, Ruth Smeeth, Gareth Snell, Jo Stevens and Derek Twigg.

Flint claimed yesterday that as many as 26 Labour MPs could pile in behind Johnson.

Heaven knows how the DUP might vote, but they won't want to see Corbyn getting even a sniff at the premiership.

Tory rebels will be scared of losing their seats to the Brexit Party, so are unlikely to want to see an early election. Similar pressures will apply to Labour MPs. Given the current polling, I'm not sure I want to see an early election either.

In short, we're screwn.

There might be more mileage in seeking to block Johnson in other votes than a fully fledged no-confidence motion.

I don't relish the idea of Hunt as prime minister either, but as the current wisdom in Tory circles goes, "only Boris can beat Boris". His no-show decision that's led to the likely cancellation of Sky's leadership debate tomorrow and his blustering refusal to give straight answers in interview and earlier hustings may be ringing some alarm bells beyond the hardcore Tory Brexit base, but whether it will be enough to topple him in the party election is anybody's guess.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. "I was Boris Johnson's boss: he is utterly unfit to be prime minister" - Max Hastings

It would be fanciful to liken the ascent of Boris Johnson to the outbreak of global war, but similar forces are in play. There is room for debate about whether he is a scoundrel or mere rogue, but not much about his moral bankruptcy, rooted in a contempt for truth. Nonetheless, even before the Conservative national membership cheers him in as our prime minister – denied the option of Nigel Farage, whom some polls suggest they would prefer – Tory MPs have thronged to do just that.

I have known Johnson since the 1980s, when I edited the Daily Telegraph and he was our flamboyant Brussels correspondent. I have argued for a decade that, while he is a brilliant entertainer who made a popular maître d’ for London as its mayor, he is unfit for national office, because it seems he cares for no interest save his own fame and gratification.
...
Like many showy personalities, he is of weak character. I recently suggested to a radio audience that he supposes himself to be Winston Churchill, while in reality being closer to Alan Partridge. Churchill, for all his wit, was a profoundly serious human being. Far from perceiving anything glorious about standing alone in 1940, he knew that all difficult issues must be addressed with allies and partners.
...
Johnson would not recognise truth, whether about his private or political life, if confronted by it in an identity parade. In a commonplace book the other day, I came across an observation made in 1750 by a contemporary savant, Bishop Berkeley: “It is impossible that a man who is false to his friends and neighbours should be true to the public.” Almost the only people who think Johnson a nice guy are those who do not know him.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/24/boris-johnson-prime-minister-tory-party-britain

You don't get much more mainstream Tory than Max Hastings.