Matt Hancock blasts Boris Johnson over Brexit policy in four-letter rant as race for No10 gets personal
BORIS Johnson today came under fire from leadership rivals as the race to replace Theresa May turned personal.
Matt Hancock launched a four-letter rant at the frontrunner’s Brexit policy and warned that businesses don’t trust him.
Meanwhile Dominic Raab was accused of mounting a “dirty tricks campaign” to try and derail Boris.
And Esther McVey took aim at the Remainers in the race, claiming they’re lying to voters by vowing to rule out No Deal.
Mr Hancock, the Health Secretary, took aim at Boris for once declaring “f*** business” after big firms complained about his Brexit policies.
He : “To the people who say ‘f*** business’, I say f*** ‘f*** business’.”
Asked about the quip on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Mr Hancock said: “I like Boris, Boris is a great communicator, but I think the Conservative party has to support business or we’re lost, we’re nothing.”
Tory MPs warned that his rant could stop him from picking up votes in the leadership election.
It came within hours of Mr Hancock signing a “clean campaign pledge” where he vowed not to engage in personal attacks on other candidates.
‘DIRTY TRICKS’
The pledge was masterminded by Mr Raab – but backers of Boris claim it was an attempt to embarrass the frontrunner.
Nadine Dorries blasted: “Boris Johnson was not asked to sign this before it was published.
“This is not a declaration of fairness, it is a dirty tricks campaign, apparently led by Dominic Raab.”
And Steve Baker, who’s considering launching his own leadership bid, described the pledge as a “cheap trick”.
Ms McVey, the most hardline Brexiteer currently in the race, slammed Remainers who claim a No Deal Brexit is impossible.
She wrote in the Telegraph: “Political suicide lies in failing to secure a clean break from the EU on October 31, not in anything else. This is the only viable and acceptable Brexit option now left on the table.
“Messing about with this inadequate withdrawal agreement will just prolong the agony and cause yet more disruption and uncertainty for British business.
“Anyone who pretends that they will achieve in three months what Theresa May failed to do in three years simply through the force of their personality is not being straight.”
Jeremy Hunt, Rory Stewart and Mr Hancock have all said they would never pursue No Deal because Parliament would inevitably block it.
How does the Tory leadership election work?
THERESA May’s resignation last week kickstarted the Tory leadership election.
The Prime Minister will formally stand down as party leader on June 7 – but will stay in place while the new PM is being chosen.
The leadership contest, overseen by party chairman Brandon Lewis, will take around six weeks and conclude in late July.
Any Tory MP can enter the race, and the list of contenders is then whittled down by the parliamentary party.
MPs vote in multiple rounds, eliminating one candidate each time until just two are left.
With at least ten declared candidates, it could take a couple of weeks to get through the rounds – although contenders who perform poorly early on may drop out.
The party’s 160,000 activists then choose behind the final shortlist of two, with the winner declared leader and Prime Minister.
When Mrs May became leader, she didn’t have to submit to a vote of members because Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race.
So the last time activists have had a say on the leadership was 2005, when David Cameron defeated David Davis.
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