Boris Johnson was accused of ‘bare-faced cheek’ last night over claims that he agreed to write a joint article with arch Cabinet foe Philip Hammond praising Theresa May’s Chequers Brexit deal – before quitting.
Mr Johnson resigned as Foreign Secretary two days after initially going along with Mrs May’s controversial proposed agreement with the EU hammered out at a Cabinet summit earlier this month.
Last week he stepped up his revolt, urging fellow Conservative MPs to ‘chuck Chequers’ because Mrs May’s blueprint would leave the UK in ‘vassalage, satrapy, colony status’ to the EU.
Boris Johnson and Chancellor Philip Hammond leave 10 Downing Street last year
His comments led to an enraged response from senior Westminster sources who claimed that Mr Johnson agreed at the meeting at the Prime Minister’s official country residence that he and pro-European Chancellor Mr Hammond would issue a written joint rallying cry backing Mrs May’s new offer to Brussels.
The aim of the Hammond-Johnson double-act was to spearhead the Cabinet’s charm offensive to ‘sell’ the deal to voters, Tory MPs and Brussels.
Allies of Mr Hammond say he was shocked to discover 48 hours later that Mr Johnson had resigned, accusing Mrs May of a ‘sell-out.’
Anti-Brexit Tory MP Anna Soubry said last night: ‘Boris Johnson has got a bare-faced cheek. He doesn’t know if he is Arthur or Martha – all he knows is he’s all for Boris.’
Friends of Mr Johnson strongly disputed the allegation.
A source close to the Uxbridge MP said: ‘The first he saw of the joint article was the morning after the Chequers summit. He immediately told No 10 he would not put his name to it. It was actually the moment he decided to resign from the Cabinet.
‘He has always been clear: the Chequers deal must be chucked because it is bad for Britain.’
It is not the first time Mr Johnson has been accused of inconsistency.
Before backing Brexit in the 2016 referendum he prepared two draft articles – one arguing in favour of Remain, the other in favour of Leave.
He has also been accused of about-turns on other EU issues.
Critics say he changed his mind twice over the Chequers deal.
Mr Johnson resigned as Foreign Secretary two days after initially going along with Mrs May’s controversial proposed agreement with the EU
Early in the talks, he called Mrs May’s plan a ‘turd’, before backing the deal – only to change his mind again and resign 48 hours later.
In a separate development yesterday, Mr Johnson was linked to a new Brexit plot involving former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
Mr Johnson declined to comment on a claim that Mr Bannon made contact with him during a recent trip to London.
Mr Bannon, said to be planning to set up an office in Brussels to promote Right-wing populism in Europe, praised Mr Johnson during interviews in the UK last week.
According to the Reuters news agency, he said he had been in direct contact with Mr Johnson and fellow Tory Brexiteers Michael Gove and Jacob Rees-Mogg, describing them as ‘talented’ potential Tory leaders.
‘Boris Johnson is one of the most important persons on the world stage today,’ said Mr Bannon.
He had ‘texted a lot’ with him and spoken on the phone.