Tory leadership hopeful Rory Stewart launches scathing ‘Pinocchio’ attack on Boris Johnson
The International Development Secretary said he could not work in a Government with BoJo's Brexit stance
TORY PM hopeful Rory Stewart launched a blistering attack on Boris Johnson yesterday - branding him ‘Pinocchio’.
The leadership race exploded into life as the Cabinet Minister said he couldn’t serve in a government led by BoJo because of his ‘no-deal’ Brexit stance.
Mr Stewart said: “I could not serve in a government whose policy was to push this country into a no-deal Brexit.
“I could not serve with Boris Johnson. I spoke to Boris, I suppose, about two weeks ago about this and I thought at the time he had assured me that he wouldn’t push for a no-deal Brexit.
“So, we had a conversation about 20, 25 minutes and I left the room reassured by him that he wouldn’t do this. But, it now seems that he is coming out for a no-deal Brexit.”
He told the BBC that leaving the EU with no deal on October 31 would be “damaging and dishonest”.
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith branded his position on not serving under Boris as “stupid”.
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The International Development Secretary then tweeted: “The star name will not always be the best choice. There may be times when Jiminy Cricket would make a better leader than Pinocchio.”
She said: “There are some very good candidates out there. I’m not going to start maligning any of my colleagues.”
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