Johnson's Broad Church
Amber Rudd's resigns from the government and the Tory Party accusing Boris Johnson of an 'assault on decency and democracy' after removing the whip from 21 Conservative MPs including Kenneth Clarke and Nicholas Soames.
"It is with great sadness that I am resigning as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Minister for Women and Equalities.
It has been an honour to serve in a department that supports millions of people and can be such a force for good. I would like to pay tribute to the thousands of people who work for the DWP across the country. They are committed public servants and I am proud of the work that we have done together over the last 10 months to create a more compassionate welfare system.
I would also like to thank you and the Chancellor of the Exchequer for your support in the recent Spending Review. I am so pleased that you committed to spend millions more supporting the most vulnerable in society, and I hope that the Government will stay committed to going further at the next fiscal event, building on the work the department has done.
This has been a difficult decision. I joined your Cabinet in good faith; accepting that 'no deal' had to be on the table, because it was the means by which we would have the best chance of achieving a new deal to leave on October 31.
However, I no longer believe leaving with a deal is the Government's main objective.
The Government is expending a lot of energy to prepare for 'no deal' but I have not seen the same level of intensity go into our talks with the European Union, who have asked us to present alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop.
The updates I have been grateful to receive from your office have not, regretfully, provided me with the reassurances I sought.
I must also address the assault on decency and democracy that took place last week when you sacked 21 talented, loyal One Nation Conservatives.
This short-sighted culling of my colleagues has stripped the party of broad-minded and dedicated Conservative MPs I cannot support this act of political vandalism.
Therefore, it is with regret that I am also surrendering the Conservative whip.
Britain's body politic is under attack from both sides of the ideological debate. I will now play whatever role I can to help return it to a better place.
I have been lucky to have had extraordinary support from my Conservative Association since I was adopted as their candidate in 2006. Three times they helped elect me as their MP, keeping Labour at bay through nail-biting campaigns.
I remain a proud conservative and will continue to champion the values of fairness and compassion, and to support my constituents of Hastings and Rye.
Yours Sincerely,
Amber Rudd"
Best Laid Plans ()5/09/19)
George Parker from the Financial Times explains how Boris Johnson's cunning plan blew up in his face over Brexit.
Long may it last if you ask me and doesn't Peter Brookes capture the mood very well with his topical cartoon in The Times.
To recap. Today @BorisJohnson majority went from +1 to -43. He lost his first vote as prime minister. His Brexit strategy is being "wrecked", say No 10. He wants an election but may not be able to get it - at least not on his terms. And he's thrown Ken Clarke out of the party
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Ken Clarke - A Class Act (03/09/19)
Ken Clarke - The PM's extraordinary knockabout performance today confirms... the Prime Minister wants to fight a flag-waving general election before the consequences of a #NoDeal become too obvious to the public...#StopTheCoup #ResistanceBill #Brexit
If you ask me, the veteran Conservative MP Kenneth Clarke is a class act and here is Ken, at the top of his form, putting Boris Johnson well and truly in his place.
'Serial Disloyalty' ((05/09/19)
My speech in the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill. youtu.be/oh5wdie02mk via @YouTube
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Nicholas Soames, who has just been kicked out of the Tory Party along with other No to No Deal rebels, invites fellow Westminster MPs to compare his personal track record with the 'serial disloyalty' of the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Bulldog Spirit (02/09/19)
Sir Nicholas Soames tells me he will vote against the Govt tonight, unless the PM (who he’s going to see now) can assure him a Brexit deal will be done. Boris therefore faces the uncomfortable prospect of deselecting Winston Churchill’s grandson.
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Great tweet!
