Politics

Brexit news latest: Philip Hammond demands Boris Johnson apologises over ‘Operation Yellowhammer’ dossier leak allegations



Former Chancellor Philip Hammond has called for Boris Johnson to apologise following claims that ministers from Theresa May’s government leaked the “Operation Yellowhammer” papers.

Mr Hammond, a staunch Europhile, today continued his Brexit rebellion against the Prime Minister with a strongly-worded letter demanding an apology for the “misleading briefing from No.10”.

Boris Johnson and Philip Hammond pictured in 2017 (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

He said it was now apparent the “Yellowhammer” document was dated August 2019, and so could not have been leaked by a minister from Mrs May’s administration as had been suggested by Downing Street.

The document warned of “meltdowns” at ports in the event of a no-deal Brexit, as well as food and medicine shortages.

In a letter to Mr Johnson on Sunday, Mr Hammond wrote: “The clear implication was that a minister in the last government has retained, and then leaked, a copy of this document. The media has speculated accordingly on the source of this document.”

Mr Hammond himself denied being the source of the leak earlier this week.

The letter continued: “It has now become apparent that the leaked document was, in fact, dated August 2019 and would not, therefore, have been available to any minister who is not serving in the current administration.

“I am writing on behalf of all former ministers in the last administration to ask you to withdraw these allegations which question our integrity, acknowledge that no former minister could have leaked this document, and apologise for the misleading briefing from No.10.”

It marks another clash between the two former Cabinet colleagues, who served together under Mrs May between 2016 and 2018.

Last week, in a ferocious attack on Downing Street, he argued that crashing out of the EU without a deal – something Mr Johnson has frequently raised – would be “as much a betrayal” of the 2016 referendum as not leaving at all.

In a rallying cry to MPs to block a no-deal Brexit, he vowed that “a means will be delivered” for Parliament to force Mr Johnson to go back to the negotiating table and delay Brexit.



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