Lord Tebbit last night led a growing Tory backlash against Lord Heseltine for suggesting Brexit could be more damaging than a Corbyn government.
Senior Tories are calling for the former deputy prime minister to lose the party whip for claiming leaving the EU could have a worse long-term effect than Labour taking power.
Yesterday the Bow Group think-tank, whose patrons include Lord Tebbit, Lord Lamont, John Redwood and Ann Widdecombe, slammed his comments. Chairman Ben Harris-Quinney said: ‘Heseltine has made clear it is his aim to prevent Brexit at all costs, including the sabotage of his own party and nation.
Lord Heseltine has long been one of the Conservative Party’s most vociferous Europhiles
‘The Conservative Party must therefore withdraw the whip and end the inevitable continuation of his sniping from inside the tent.’
Lord Tebbit, who served alongside Lord Heseltine under Margaret Thatcher, added: ‘The Bow Group is absolutely right to make this call and I think the whip should be withdrawn. It seems Lord Heseltine is saying rather than have a government carry out its election pledge to consummate Brexit that we should elect a Marxist government – that does not seem to be compatible with taking the Conservative whip.’
Lord Tebbit said his fellow peer’s comments were not ‘compatible with taking the Conservative whip’
The former Tory chairman added: ‘I suggest he applies either for a whip from Brussels or from the Labour Party.
‘Presumably he has put all his money overseas, out of reach from Mr Corbyn. He has been saying more and more peculiar things over recent years, I just worry about his health.’
Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski said: ‘His indifference towards hard working new Conservative MPs who have won marginal seats against all odds at the last election, especially in Scotland, is breathtaking.
‘His lack of respect and loyalty towards the Conservative Party is deeply regrettable.’
In comments to the Limehouse political podcast, Lord Heseltine said Labour would have a negative effect on the UK – but Brexit would be worse. Asked what would happen under five years of a Corbyn government, he said: ‘Well, we have survived Labour governments before.
‘Their damage tends to be short-term and capable of rectification. Brexit is not short-term and is not easily capable of rectification.
‘There will be those who question whether the short-term pain justifies the avoidance of long-term disaster.’
Lord Heseltine also claimed Brexit would become ‘more unpopular as people realise what it’s all about’. ‘If you look at the polls there is probably a bigger majority against Brexit than the referendum secured but that, I think, will continue to happen,’ he told the podcast.
Daniel Kawczynski said Lord Heseltine’s ‘indifference’ to hard working new Tory MPs was ‘breathtaking’
In response Mr Harris-Quinney said: ‘The Brexit negotiations cannot be led by a Conservative Government that allows outright sabotage to go unaddressed within its own ranks. There should absolutely be room for Conservative politicians to disagree with the Government’s approach to Brexit.
‘But for a member to be invested in bringing a Corbyn-led government into power in order to ignore the democratic will of the people in voting for Brexit cannot be tolerated by any party or government who wishes to be taken seriously and maintain parliamentary discipline.
‘Michael Heseltine is best known for bringing down the Thatcher government, his career is a litany of traitorous and self-serving practices. That he is able to continue to do such things in senility only draws attention to the weakness of the Government and embarrasses it at home and abroad.’
Lord Heseltine has long been one of his party’s most vociferous Europhiles. He walked out of Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet in 1986 following a row over Europe.
Since the referendum he has repeatedly called for the result to be reversed.
During the podcast Lord Heseltine added: ‘I think a second referendum would be a vehicle for ending Brexit, but personally I would rather parliament do it – either if this parliament became hostile or because in an election the issue was rethought and a subsequent parliament did it. My preoccupation is ending Brexit.’