Boris Johnson praises Theresa May for showing ‘unbelievable grace and steel’ as he tries to end speculation he is trying to oust her as PM
Foreign Secretary admits things did not ‘look too brilliant’ after the election but the PM ‘has put things back together’
BORIS Johnson today tried to quell the growing speculation he is planning to oust Theresa May by praising her for showing “unbelievable grace and steel” since the election.
The Foreign Secretary admitted things did not “look too brilliant on the morning of June 9” - but said the Prime Minister “has got the show on the road” again.
He also rowed back on his support for ending the public sector pay cap, as he tried to close the Cabinet rift over ending austerity.
Mr Johnson stressed the need to be "fiscally sensible and responsible" in the approach to increasing wages in the latest sign the Government is not about to embark on a spending spree.
Allies of the minister had previously indicated he supported ending the freeze, but after Mrs May poured cold water on calls for an end to the squeeze on wage rises, Mr Johnson fell into line.
Speaking to the BBC he acknowledged it was "important that you manage your economy sensibly" and not to have a spending "splurge".
Mrs May told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday upcoming recommendations from pay review bodies for teachers, police officers, prison wardens and senior civil servants would be "very carefully" considered.
But she left little doubt her position chimes with that of Chancellor Philip Hammond, who has warned a relaxation of pay restraint would require extra borrowing or tax rises to avoid increasing the deficit.
Mr Johnson told Radio 4's Today programme there had to be a "balance" and highlighted Mr Hammond's acknowledgement people were "weary" of restraint.
But he told the programme: "What we believe is that you can't endlessly borrow, you can't endlessly spend.”
He added: "It is very, very important that you manage your economy sensibly and you don't just go for a crazy Corbynite splurge."
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But Mr Johnson said it was important to "recognise that people are weary of restraint" and when the public sector pay review bodies report the Government would look at them "very closely".
He said: "The price we don't want to pay for whatever we do is lost jobs, higher unemployment and a weaker economy.
"What you have seen over the last few years is a Conservative government resolutely bearing down on the deficit, helping to put our finances back in shape after they were wrecked by the last Labour government. We are not going to put that at risk."
The potential Tory leader lavished praise on the woman he is believed to be plotting against, saying the PM had shown "unbelievable grace and steel" over the last few weeks.
He said: "She has put things back together, she has got the show on the road, she is delivering a stable government as she said she would and we are getting on with it.”
And calling for an end to speculation about her future he said: "The last thing people want is any more of this kind of nonsense.
"They want to see a long period of stability and calm and progress for the British people."