Theresa May launches counter-attack at Boris Johnson in their battle for No10 as she tells her Cabinet his Brexit proposals are unworkable
PM ratcheted up her war with the former Foreign Secretary after he slammed her Chequers compromise – but his allies described the document as a ‘hatchet job’
THERESA May has launched a vicious counter-attack at Boris Johnson in their battle for Number 10 this morning.
She circulated a document to her Cabinet ministers warning his rival Brexit proposals are unworkable and would potentially put British jobs at risk.
The Prime Minister took the decision to ratchet up her war with the former Foreign Secretary after he slammed her Chequers compromise.
But his allies described the two-page handout praising the progress made in the negotiations as a result of her White Paper and tearing into the alternatives as a “hatchet job on Boris Johnson”.
The dossier is the second offensive from Downing Street aimed at the man who wants to replace Mrs May behind its famous black door.
Yesterday a spokesman for the PM slapped down the ex-Mayor of London following his stinging attack on the Chequers proposal which he resigned from the Cabinet over.
It comes as The Sun revealed Mrs May tore into her former ally after being warned he may try to oust her this month.
Downing Street sources said aides are on full alert to repel an imminent leadership challenge on the PM by hard Brexiteers.
A faction of Eurosceptic Tory MPs are urging Mr Johnson to strike now in his long-awaited second bid to take the party's top job.
They believe this month is their last chance to sink the Chequers plan before it is accepted as the template for talks between the UK and EU leaders at the next summit in October.
The deepening row has ignited just as Parliament returns from its summer break, with MPs readying themselves for an almighty struggle to decide on the shape of the negotiations with the EU.
Mrs May’s White Paper is coming under fire from all sides, with Eurosceptics pledging to tear it up for keeping us too tied to Brussels once we leave.
Meanwhile ardent Remainers like Justine Greening have also attacked the proposals hammered out by the Cabinet in July.
The ex-Education Secretary claimed the plan is "more unpopular than the poll tax", and the Government should ditch it or face it being voted down by Parliament.
And this morning a Tory MP threatened to quit the party if the former Mayor of London becomes its next leader.
Another piece of research out this morning sees 70 per cent of Tory supporters claiming the Government’s plan would be a “bad deal for Britain”.
The results of a survey by the website see just 23 per cent of party loyalists believing the Chequers proposals will lead to a good deal.