We’re kippered by the EU! Boris brandishes a smoked fish and blasts nanny-state Brussels rules on food and drink as he takes on Jeremy Hunt in the final Tory leadership hustings
- He waved the fishy treat at the event at Excel in London Docklands
- He said a producer had been hampered by Brussels rules on food and drink
- The crowd of thousands was the largest hustings so far out of all 17 held
Boris Johnson brandished a smoked kipper on stage tonight as he blasted European Union food rules as a reason to get Brexit done.
The runaway favourite to take over as Tory leader and prime minister waved the fishy breakfast treat as he addressed thousands of party members at the Excel Centre in London.
Addressing the crowd he whipped out the plastic-wrapped fish which he said he had been handed before going on stage.
Mr Johnson claimed a kipper smoker on the Isle of Man – which is not part of the European Union – was ‘utterly furious’ because apparently his costs had been increased by EU rules he said mean each fish must be accompanied by a plastic-wrapped ice pillow.
Several thousand people were in the audience, making it the largest of all the 17 party hustings held before the winner is revealed next Tuesday.
Addressing the crowd he whipped out the plastic-wrapped fish which he said he had been handed by a national newspaper editor.
After the slapstick moment Mr Johnson failed to answer questions on whether he would shut down Parliament to sideline MPs and achieve a No Deal Brexit on October 31.
‘Pointless, expensive, environmentally-damaging health and safety, ladies and gentlemen,’ Mr Johnson said.
But after the slapstick moment Mr Johnson failed to answer questions on whether he would shut down Parliament to sideline MPs and achieve a No Deal Brexit on October 31.
Reports have suggested that he is considering calling a Queen’s speech in November, which would see Parliament rise before the Halloween deadline to leave the EU.
Asked when he would bring in a Queen’s Speech if he becomes prime minister, Mr Johnson said: ‘I am not going to comment on our programme.’
Ex-Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom (pictured on ITV’s Peston last month) said she would not back a move by a new PM to prorogue the Commons at a crucial point in the Brexit process
Mr Johnson also ruled out working with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party at an election, saying the Conservatives did not need to do deals
Asked when he would bring in a Queen’s Speech if he becomes prime minister, Mr Johnson said: ‘I am not going to comment on our programme’
Mr Johnson was today facing huge pressure to rule out suspending Parliament to force No Deal – as a close ally warned they would withdraw their backing.
Former Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom said she would not go along with a move by a new PM to prorogue the Commons at a crucial point in the Brexit process.
Mrs Leadsom, a former Commons leader, said: ‘I don’t think that prorogation is the right thing to do and I don’t think a prime minister would choose to do that.’
Asked if she would go along with it if Mr Johnson took that course of action, she told BBC Radio 4’s Today: ‘No, I don’t believe I would and I don’t believe it will happen.’
Mr Johnson also ruled out working with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party at an election, saying the Conservatives did not need to do deals.
He admitted meeting the right-wing populist but subsequently heckled about doing a political pact he shouted back: ‘yes I rule it out.’
Several thousand people were in the audience, making it the largest of all the 17 party hustings held before the winner is revealed next Tuesday