The conservative friends of India circulated an email from Philip Dunne MP, seeking the Indian vote on behalf of Jeremy Hunt.
London: Boris Johnson is the conservative candidate who is believed to have the power to bring back the Tory switchers from the Brexit Party. He has all but guaranteed to leave the European Union (EU) on 31 October, whilst protecting the rights of EU citizens. He wants to invest in education and rail infrastructure and the Police, promising 20,000 extra police to boost stop and search and to provide full fibre broadband by 2025. Importantly, he appears to have the support of the Democratic Unionist Party. Johnson’s communications to party members and councillors are Churchillian in their inspirational tone but thin on details.
It has been a bad week for Remainers who hoped to “Stop Boris” getting the keys to No. 10.
Johnson has been publicly under fire for claiming during the 2016 Referendum campaign that the EU costs Britain £350 million gross per week. A crowd funded private prosecution was brought against him to this effect, but to no effect. The Rt. Hon. Lady Justice Rafferty and The Hon. Mr Justice Supperstone quashed the claim to this amount was incorrect, it genuinely does cost £350 gross
weekly.
The Metropolitan Police responded to three Remainers calling for a judicial review, referred by the Electoral Commission that the Met Police had been slow to investigate charges of delays related to Vote Leave’s conduct in the 2016 Reference. The Met police response was dismissive: the claim was misconceived in law and on the facts, the claimants were invited not to pursue their claim.
Jeremy Hunt is backed by former conservative leader William Hague and Defence Minister Penny Mordaunt. Hunt seems to be focusing on what to do if no deal
becomes a necessity and
reality. His practical 10 point plan says he will decide if this is likely in September, following re-negotiations with the EU. Hunt is the preferred candidate of Remainers and those who supported Theresa May’s deal. The conservative friends of India circulated an email from Philip Dunne MP, seeking the Indian vote on behalf of Jeremy Hunt.
Both Hunt and Johnson present a vision of a flourishing Britain post-EU membership. As ballots get delivered to party members this week, polls find that 61% believe Johnson is most likely to beat Corbyn in a general election.
Earlier this week, a curious news story appeared in The Times whereby anonymous Civil Servants expressed concern over the mental and physical health of Jeremy Corbyn, suggesting he was frail and not fit for the position of Labour Leader, let alone of Prime Minister. The Labour Party as denied all the “scurrilous” allegations and called for an investigation. Mark Sedwill, senior Cabinet Secretary, has written to all Civil Service colleagues stating that unauthorised media briefings, about politicians or policy will not be tolerated and that Civil Service impartiality must be trusted by ministers.
Sedwill also said that the Civil Service would support the new Prime Minister and a change in Government.