Politics

Tory leadership: Where do 11 candidates for next Prime Minister stand on Brexit?


Britain’s next Prime Minister will have massive power to steer the course of Brexit .

Candidates for Tory leader are lining up to back a hard exit in a pitch to the party’s 160,000 voting members.

Some are fighting against crashing out of the EU without a deal – with Jeremy Hunt branding the plan “suicide”.

But none are fighting to stop Brexit altogether, and none are fighting to hold a second referendum.

Whoever wins the Tory leadership contest will be in 10 Downing Street by the end of July, and try to put their strategy in place over the summer.

Jeremy Hunt, Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab have wildly different views on Brexit

That means they will have a massive impact on how we leave the EU on October 31, or whether we do at all.

The EU could offer an extension beyond Halloween , or Parliamentary gridlock could force a general election.

Britain’s electoral system means we vote for MPs, not a PM – who whoever’s in power can steer Brexit without an election by you, the public.

Instead the nation’s policy looks set to be decided by the 160,000 Tories who vote in the leadership contest.

So what are the candidates’ positions on Brexit? And how likely are they to crash us out without a deal?

We’ve profiled their positions below – carefully finding comments they’ve made since coming out for leadership.

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Tory leadership contest explained

All the candidates – ranked from most to least Brexity

Esther McVey

HARD BREXIT RATING: 5/5

Esther McVey is arguably the hardest Brexiteer on the list

The Tory MP for Tatton is arguably the hardest Brexiteer on the ticket and says we should “get ready” to leave the EU with no deal.

She demanded Brexit happens deal or no deal on October 31, no matter how damaging for business – something she called a “clean Brexit”.

She said the next leader of the Tories “has to be a Brexiteer” as the “failure to deliver Brexit” has left many in the party demoralised.

And she refused to rule out a pact with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, telling the Telegraph: “Nigel Farage is a tour de force. He has changed the narrative. He has caught the mood of the moment.”

Ms McVey quit as Work and Pensions Secretary in protest at Theresa May’s Brexit plans.

Andrea Leadsom 

HARD BREXIT RATING: 5/5

“You have to be prepared to walk away,” said Andrea Leadsom

The former Cabinet minister has declared she would lead Britain out the EU with or without a deal in October.

“To succeed in a negotiation you have to be prepared to walk away,” she said.

She previously described the UK’s continued membership of the EU as “disgusting” and claimed that a Brexiteer PM would have delivered Brexit already.

And she was the final Cabinet resignation in a chain that fuelled Theresa May’s eventual decision to quit.

Ms Leadsom said she would introduce a citizens’ rights Bill to resolve uncertainty facing EU nationals.

She would also seek agreement in other areas where consensus already exists, such as on reciprocal healthcare and Gibraltar.

Dominic Raab

HARD BREXIT RATING: 4.5/5

Dominic Raab wants to be seen as the strongman, urging “unflinching resolve”

The former Brexit Secretary backs leaving without a deal on October 31 – if that’s what it takes.

He has said Britain should be “getting a fairer deal” and he would prefer to leave with a renegotiated deal.

But he added the UK must “calmly demonstrate unflinching resolve to leave in October – at the latest”.

Critics fear his hardline views will make him more likely to walk out of negotiations with the EU.

That would plunge the UK into no-deal in October, or could force a general election if MPs revolt against the government.

Mr Raab walked out of the Cabinet in November in protest at Theresa May’s deal and has said it’s “time for a new direction”.

Boris Johnson

HARD BREXIT RATING: 3.5/5

Boris Johnson would crash us out of the EU with no deal on October 31… or would he?

The frontrunner declared he’s prepared to crash out of the EU with no deal on October 31.

“We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal,” Mr Johnson said in May 2019. “To get things done you need to be prepared to walk away.”

But behind the scenes he’s been less hardline, telling moderate MPs his preference is still a negotiated exit.

One insider in his camp told the Mirror: “He knows that no deal would be damaging. But if you want to renegotiate you’ve got to keep it on the table.”

The problem for moderate Tory MPs, members and the public is this – which Boris Johnson should they believe?

Leadership rival Rory Stewart compared him to liar Pinocchio, saying Boris’ “no deal” promise went back on pledges he made in private.

And he’s famously chosen his views opportunistically, coming out for Leave in 2016 at the moment of maximum impact despite writing an article for each side.

He did however burnish his Brexiteer credentials by quitting Cabinet in protest at Theresa May’s deal.

Kit Malthouse 

HARD BREXIT RATING: 3/5

Kit Malthouse at the launch of London Tops MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index As Most Visited City report at London Eye Barracuda
Kit Malthouse was behind a compromise plan – but this could in itself mean No Deal

The Housing Minister, who voted Leave in 2016, has emphasised the need for a cross-party Brexit plan rather than crashing out with No Deal.

“While I voted to leave the EU, I know that without unity across the UK, we cannot get a deal over the line,” he said.

Part of his plan, however – the so-called ‘Malthouse Compromise’ – involves mitigating a possible No-Deal Brexit.

Critics also believe the plan is unworkable.

If we leave with a deal, the plan would extend the transition period through to December 2021.

It would also renegotiate arrangements for the Irish border using as-yet-unclear technological solutions.

It we leave without a deal, we would ask to pay the EU for a “standstill” arrangement ensuring tariffs and harsh border rules don’t suddenly kick in.

Sajid Javid

HARD BREXIT RATING: 2.5/5

The Home Secretary said we must “get on with Brexit” but details were initially unclear

The Home Secretary has said his party “must get on and deliver Brexit” adding: “It’s time to rebuild trust, find unity and create new opportunities across the UK.”

But he did not immediately clarify whether he would take Britain out of the EU without a deal on October 31.

The 49-year-old backed Remain in the referendum but has since positioned himself as a firm Leaver.

James Cleverly

HARD BREXIT RATING: 2.5/5

James Cleverly said No Deal Brexit “is not my preferred destination”

The Brexit Minister has said he would “absolutely” lead the UK out of the EU in a No Deal Brexit – but only if needed.

He warned it would add “uncertainty” and “it is not my preferred destination”.

In his first leadership interview, he said the UK should “look to” deliver Brexit on time – but did not to rule out a possible delay beyond October 31.

“I’ve always said we need to be pragmatic, we need to be sensible, we need to leave with a deal,” he said.

Michael Gove

HARD BREXIT RATING: 2/5

Michael Gove refused to say if he’d leave on October 31, deal or no deal

In his leadership announcement, Mr Gove refused to say if Britain should leave the EU, deal or no deal, in October.

Instead he said there must be a “proper and informed debate about the options Britain faces”.

When it comes to No Deal, he said “we would be able to get through it” but it is “better” to secure a deal.

The Leave-voting Environment Secretary was a Theresa May loyalist and urged MPs to pass her deal.

Now Mr Gove is posing as a self-styled “unity candidate” to “unite the Conservative Party, deliver Brexit and lead this great country”.

Meanwhile he has offered to introduce free UK citizenship for more than 3million EU citizens living here who would, if they stay, eventually become eligible.

That would waive the current £1,282 naturalisation fee – though Commonwealth citizens in the UK would still have to pay.

Matt Hancock

HARD BREXIT RATING: 1.5/5

Matt Hancock said Brexit needs to happen… before the next general election (in 2022)

The Remain-voting Health Secretary said it’s “mission critical” to deliver Brexit before a general election.

But the next election is only due in 2022. So that implies he could accept another extension to avoid crashing out of the EU without a deal on October 31.

He’s said he would re-enter negotiations with the EU.

And he said No Deal Brexit is “not a policy choice available to the next prime minister” because of the deadlock in Parliament. 

Mr Hancock – who chartered planes and fridges to store medicines in a no-deal – said he would have to “level with people about the trade-offs.”

He added: “I think it is much, much easier to bring people together behind a proposal if you are straightforward in advance.”

Jeremy Hunt

HARD BREXIT RATING: 1/5

Jeremy Hunt flip-flopped but settled on calling No Deal “political suicide”

The Foreign Secretary has said pushing for No Deal Brexit would be “political suicide” and could make the Conservatives “extinct”.

He added MPs could force a general election against any Prime Minister who tried – putting Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street by Christmas.

The comments, in May 2019, are the latest stage in a long run flip-flopping opinions from Mr Hunt.

He voted Remain in 2016 but later tried to appeal to Tory Brexiteers, comparing the EU to the Soviet Union and branding himself a “born-again Brexiteer” and insisting “no deal is better than no Brexit”.

In reality though, few believe he will choose a course he himself has said “we would regret for generations”.

Instead he claims the solution is to “change the Withdrawal Agreement” Theresa May agreed with the EU in a new round of talks.

That’s despite the fact the EU has repeatedly said it will not reopen the 585-page Withdrawal Agreement, which was finished in November 2018 and has been blocked by MPs ever since.

Mr Hunt also claimed he wanted Brexiteers including the DUP and Tory hardliners to join the negotiating team.

But he refused to say he would involve Nigel Farage, whose Brexit Party won a landslide in the EU elections, or Jeremy Corbyn who he accused of bad faith.

Rory Stewart

HARD BREXIT RATING: 0/5

Rory Stewart compared Boris to Pinocchio and Brexiteers’ thinking to the Wizard of Oz

The International Development Secretary is the biggest Remainer on the ticket – and has said he’d refuse to work under a Boris Johnson government.

He said No Deal will be “a huge mistake, damaging, unnecessary, and dishonest” that would “destroy 300 years of reputation overnight.”

And he compared Boris Johnson to Pinocchio and Brexiteers’ thinking to the Wizard of Oz.

Mr Stewart has met Unite chief Len McCluskey and plans citizens’ assemblies to find consensus over Brexit.

He said “if necessary” he would even work with Nigel Farage, adding: “The whole point about this is: no red lines, talk to everyone.”

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