Philip Hammond faces a Tory rebellion over Budget

Philip Hammond is facing a Tory rebellion over the Budget as his critics are reportedly plotting to seize upon any slip up to try to get him sacked.  

Top Government figures fear the Chancellor is so toxic among many of his colleagues that he does not have the popularity to steer through tough measures.

Mr Hammond, a vocal Remainer, sparked fury after he publicly refused to spend money preparing for a no deal Brexit until the last possible moment.

He was branded an ‘Eeyore’ and faced calls to be sacked and replaced by someone more upbeat about Brexit.

Cabinet colleagues have reportedly warned him he could face a Budget ambush on November 22, when he will unveil his tax and spending pans for the next year.

Philip Hammond, pictured in Westminster last week, could face a Tory rebellion over his Budget as his Conservative critics mobilise to try to oust him from the Treasury

The move threatens to plunge the Prime Minister’s shaky government into further turmoil.

The Chancellor is under pressure to loosen the purse strings and pump money into programmes like house building in a bid to win back voters who deserted the Tories.

And he is said to be trying to make ‘intergenerational fairness’ – plans to help younger Britons – the central plank of  his Budget.

But any bid to squeeze more money out of pensioners or cut their benefits face the prospect of a Tory backbench rebellion which would spell their defeat.

Mr Hammond’s position has looked increasingly wobbly after he used an article to publicly refused to spend money preparing for no deal until the last possible moment.

A source told The Times his team had been warned in advance of publication that it would spark negative headlines and a backlash, but they went ahead anyway.  

And Theresa May is facing growing calls to sack her Chancellor and replace him with someone who is more positive and upbeat about the possibilities of Brexit.

But Tory MP and prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg talked down talk of a Try Budget rebellion BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour last night.

He said: ‘Nobody has mentioned to me that it would be a good idea to vote against the Budget to upset Mr Hammond.

‘I think any MP who thinks like that, any Tory MP is effectively giving a vote of no confidence in the Government, it would be deeply irresponsible.

‘Budgets are really a matter of confidence and people should support the Budget.’

Sajid Javid, the Communities and Local Government Secretary, as reportedly urged Philip Hammond to pump £50billion into a massive house building programme. The Chancellor is under pressure to loosen the purse strings and go on a spending spree in next month's Budget

Sajid Javid, the Communities and Local Government Secretary, as reportedly urged Philip Hammond to pump £50billion into a massive house building programme. The Chancellor is under pressure to loosen the purse strings and go on a spending spree in next month’s Budget

Meanwhile, the newspaper also reported Mr Hammond’s Cabinet colleagues are vying to become the next Treasury chief as his position looks ever weaker.

Last week’s Cabinet meeting was described as ’14 different job applications to be Chancellor’ as ministers pitched in with their own ideas for the Treasury. 

Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, David Gauke and Andrea Leadsom are all said to have chimed in with their own thoughts.

One Cabinet member told the newspaper: ‘This discussion wasn’t about members of the Cabinet dividing into doves and hawks, it was about everyone sympathising with the chancellor’s difficult predicament and trying to come up with their own ideas.’  

While Sajid Javid, the Local Government Secretary, yesterday urged the Chancellor to ‘take advantage of the record low interest rates’ to borrow billions to bankroll a spending splurge,

He is said to have urged Mr Hammond to borrow £50billion to pump into a massive house-building programme. 

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: ‘I want to make sure we’re using everything we have available to deal with this housing crisis.

‘We have to continue to be bold in this area.’  

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