Tory rebellion CRUSHED: Boris stands by PM and rules OUT snap election – ‘UK needs break’
BORIS JOHNSON last night rebuked Tory MPs pressing for a snap general election to break the deadlock in the Brexit negotiations. Reports at the weekend revealed that some Conservative backbenchers are preparing for a poll amid fears Theresa May’s difficulties over the EU departure negotiations are becoming insurmountable.
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I think that the important thing is that the House of Commons has the final legislative say
Reports at the weekend revealed that some Conservative backbenchers are preparing for a poll amid fears Theresa May’s difficulties over the EU departure negotiations are becoming insurmountable.
But the Foreign Secretary and leading Cabinet Brexiteer warned that voters did not want to be put through another campaign following the two elections and an EU referendum over the past three years.
Speaking in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires during a five-day tour of South America, he said he felt like “Brenda from Bristol”, the woman famously filmed decrying the announcement of the 2017 general election.
Asked about reports that the Prime Minister could call another election in the autumn, Mr Johnson said: “Really? We had a general election in June last year, which followed hard on the heels of a referendum, which itself followed hard on the heels of an election in 2015.
“I think the British public deserve a break from politicians. And my thoughts are very much with that wonderful woman Brenda. I’m with Brenda on this one.”
Brenda became a social media sensation for her exasperated response: “Not another one. Oh, for God’s sake! Honestly, I can’t stand this. There’s too much politics going on at the moment. Why does she need to do it?”
Some Tory MPs were reported to have spoken to their party associations, asking to be readopted as prospective parliamentary candidates in readiness for an autumn election.
The backbench MPs acted after meeting Mrs May last week for a private Brexit briefing as she tried to stop a row over Britain’s future customs relationship with the European Union tearing the party apart.
But far from reassured, they left Downing Street convinced that another election could be on the way.
Mr Johnson also warned peers not to trigger a showdown with MPs over key Brexit legislation, saying: “I think that the important thing is that the House of Commons has the final legislative say and the Lords know that and must accept that.”
One senior ministerial source said yesterday: “There are certainly some MPs that are getting ready and ask- ing their local parties to do work on preparing new posters and canvass- ing teams. But this is definitely not something that is being talked about among ministers or at Conservative campaign headquarters.
“We saw what happened last year when the party went into a general election campaign that it was completely unprepared for. There is no way we want to go through that again.”
But a Conservative MP said: “We do need to be ready for an election. No one knows what is going to happen with Brexit.
“We haven’t got a majority to get a full Brexit through Parliament and calling a snap poll on the issue could be the Prime Minister’s only option.”
Some Tories are also understood to think that the Prime Minister should be ready to capitalise on an apparent drop in support for Labour in the opinion polls.
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A survey at the weekend suggesting the Tories had opened up a four- point lead has led to speculation Jeremy Corbyn’s unexpected popularity surge may at last be waning.
The monthly Opinium poll puts the Tories on 43 per cent, up three points, while Labour was down one on 39 per cent. The Lib Dems were on six per cent, down one and two ahead of Ukip, also down one.
On who would make the best prime minister, Mrs May’s lead has risen from 12 to 13 points over the past month, with 36 per cent saying they would prefer her in Number 10, against 23 per cent for Mr Corbyn.
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson last night attacked Mr Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell for failing to condemn suspected ballot- rigging by Nicolas Maduro’s ruling United Socialist Party in Venezuela’s general election on Sunday, saying he was “stupefied” at the pair’s silence.
Mr Johnson said: “It is beyond satire that still in London you have an official opposition party that refuses to condemn Maduro, refuses to condemn what happened in the elections, which were very far from free, which were obviously rigged, obviously fraudulent.”