PHILIP Hammond has told Boris Johnson to stop throwing tantrums over his Brexit deal.
The former Chancellor said the government should stop making threats and get on with the grown up business of letting MPs scrutinise the withdrawal agreement.
GROW UP
Mr Hammond told Sophy Ridge on Sky News: This is not the time to be holding a general election its a time for cool heads and grown up government.
These deadlines of October 31st are meaningless, the key thing now is to get the deal properly scrutinised in Parliament and that doesnt mean delaying by months.
“That means giving Parliament a few days, couple weeks , amend it if necessary, and then we can make progress.
“The government should stop making threats, stop throwing tantrums and get on with the grown up business of doing its business.
Just because it cant get exactly what it wants doesnt mean it should stop working.
MPs finally backed Boris Johnsons Brexit deal last week then wrecked it within minutes by rejecting his three-day timetable to push it through Parliament.
The defeat, triggered when nine former Tories voted against the Government, ended the PMs hope of an October 31 exit.
He immediately announced he will put the Withdrawal Agreement Bill on hold while the EU decides how to answer Parliaments plea for an extension.
About five EU countries are ready to force Britain to the brink of a no-deal by threatening to block an extension to Thursdays Brexit deadline.
France is waiting to see if Labour and the Commons agree to a general election or ratify his deal before sanctioning a three-month delay.
‘I’M NOT GOING TO CHANGE’
Remainer Mr Hammond was among the 21 Tory rebels sacked by the PM last month for defying the comments in the Commons over blocking a potential no deal Brexit.
Mr Johnson has suggested there could be a way back into the fold for some of the rebels.
But Mr Hammond said he was not holding his breath for his chances and said he intended to stand as an independent in the next election.
Boris is expected to lose the Commons vote on Monday when he seeks the two-thirds majority needed to force a general election.
Mr Hammond refused to back the vote and said MPs have to solve the Brexit problem first.
Mr Hammond told Ridge: Im not going to change what I say and what I believe and I think about what is important for Britains future in any kind of attempt to sort of sneak back in and curry favour with the Conservative leadership.
I hope that the party leadership would recognise in due course that abandoning the concept of a broad church conservative party that embraces people of a wide range of views – would be electorally damaging.
But Im not holding my breath.
