Tories at war over No Deal Brexit as Jeremy Hunt claims it would be ‘political suicide’ and Brexiteers hit back
TORY contenders are at war over Brexit after Jeremy Hunt said No Deal would be “political suicide”.
The Foreign Secretary claimed it was impossible to leave the EU without a deal on October 31 because Parliament would block it.
Instead he vowed to sign up the DUP and Tory Brexiteers to a team renegotiating the Brexit deal.
But Brexit-backing candidates hit back – warning it would destroy the party to delay Brexit again.
Mr Hunt is seen as frontrunner among the Remainers who are vying to replace Theresa May in No10.
Today he claimed it would be impossible to deliver a No Deal Brexit on October 31 in a challenge to the likes of Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab.
He suggested MPs would block a No Deal, leading to a snap election where Jeremy Corbyn would be favourite to win.
Mr Hunt told the BBC: “When Parliament tries to block a No Deal Brexit, as I think it would, the only alternative would be a General Election.
“We must not go back to the electorate asking for their mandate until we’ve delivered what we promised we would do last time, which is to deliver Brexit, it would be absolutely catastrophic for us as a party.
“The only solution to the extremely difficult situation we’re in is to change the withdrawal agreement – we have to have a go at this.”
He added: “I think what we need to do is have a new negotiating team.
“In that team needs to to be not just the Government, but the DUP, the ERG, I think you should have someone from Scotland and Wales so that the Union side of these issues is properly thought through.”
Mr Hunt ruled out working with Nigel Farage despite the Brexit Party’s Euro elections victory.
But Brexiteer Esther McVey hit back: “Political suicide actually lies in not having a clean break from the EU and not leaving on October 31.”
And longshot candidate Kit Malthouse said: “I would like to get us in shape for No Deal because I think the EU may well choose it.”
One MP said he had switched from Mr Hunt to Michael Gove as as he was flip-flopping on a No Deal. Another MP told The Times: “Gove is the coming figure for centrist MPs.”
Rory Stewart, another Remainer aiming for No10, called for a “citizens’ assembly” with 500 ordinary Brits selected to help work out the way forward on Brexit.
He dismissed No Deal saying: “You can’t threaten someone in negotiations with something you can’t deliver.”
Ten candidates have already put their names forward to be the next Tory leader and Prime Minister.
Ex-leader Iain Duncan Smith slammed the suggestion of a Brexit compromise intended to bring the country together.
He said: “For too long, we have sought compromise as an objective in itself. This has led to our current terrible mess.
“The time has come for an end to policies of damage limitation.
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.
“The next leader must respond to this electoral kicking by making our policy on Brexit crystal clear by giving a concrete promise that Britain will leave the EU by October 31 – deal or No Deal.”
Mrs May will formally step down as Conservative leader next Friday, kicking off the contest to replace her.
Tory MPs will vote in multiple rounds to reduce the number of candidates to a two-person shortlist for activists to have the final say.
Gove offers 3million EU citizens British passports
EUROPEANS living in Britain should be allowed to get a UK passport for free, Michael Gove says.
The would-be PM wants to make it easy for EU citizens to become British after Brexit.
The policy would apply to 3million European migrants who were living here at the time of the referendum in June 2016.
They would be able to get citizenship without paying the £1,330 fee.
Mr Gove wants to show the UK won’t become more hostile to Europe after Brexit.
Theresa May has set up a “settled status” scheme allowing EU citizens to stay here indefinitely – but it’s been criticised for adding an extra layer of bureaucracy.
The latest analysis of public declarations revealed Mr Gove in front with 21 MP endorsements while Mr Hunt trailed on 13.
Dominic Raab has 20, Boris Johnson 19 and Matt Hancock nine.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online politics team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours