Christopher Hope, chief political correspondent 1
8 SEPTEMBER 2017 • 7:31AM
Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary
CREDIT: PAUL GROVER FOR THE TELEGRAPH
The row is set to dominate the week and overshadow a visit to the USA and Canada by Theresa May, the Prime Minister, which starts today.
Tobias Ellwood, who until the summer was a foreign office minister, spoke out on Twitter against what he called "party discord".
Mr Ellwood wrote: "PARTY DISCORD: Think many would agree: We are not witnessing our finest hour-at a testing time when poise, purpose and unity are called for."
Tobias Ellwood, the Defence Minister
CREDIT: RII SCHROER FOR THE TELEGRAPH
Mr Ellwood, who is now a defence minister, has been tipped by some as a contender for the Conservative party leadership when Theresa May, the Prime Minister, steps down.
Mrs May is set to be pressed on whether she backs Mr Johnson and supports his idea that after Brexit as much as £350million should be spent on the National Health Service.
Yesterday Ms Rudd accused Mr Johnson of being a “backseat driver” over EU negotiations after his 4,000 word essay on Brexit - which was published in the Telegraph on Saturday - re-opened Cabinet rifts.
Ms Rudd said that she did not want Mr Johnson “managing the Brexit process” and criticised his decision to go ahead with the article the day after the latest terrorist attack.
Mr Ellwood, who is now a defence minister, has been tipped by some as a contender for the Conservative party leadership when Theresa May, the Prime Minister, steps down.
Mrs May is set to be pressed on whether she backs Mr Johnson and supports his idea that after Brexit as much as £350million should be spent on the National Health Service.
Yesterday Ms Rudd accused Mr Johnson of being a “backseat driver” over EU negotiations after his 4,000 word essay on Brexit - which was published in the Telegraph on Saturday - re-opened Cabinet rifts.
Ms Rudd said that she did not want Mr Johnson “managing the Brexit process” and criticised his decision to go ahead with the article the day after the latest terrorist attack.
Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary CREDIT: REUTERS
The Home Secretary also refused to deny that she has ambitions of succeeding Theresa May as prime minister, saying only that she has not “got time” to think about it.
Ms Rudd said on BBC1 on Sunday: "I don't want him managing the Brexit process.” She insisted that Mrs May is “driving the car” and, when pressed on Mr Johnson’s intervention, she said: “You could call it backseat driving."
Earlier this year Mr Ellwood was hailed a hero after he battled in vain to save PC Keith Palmer, the police officer, stabbed by a terrorist in an attack in the precincts of the Houses of Parliament.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/18/senior-tory-minister-calls-unity-boris-johnson-amber-rudd-clash/
The Home Secretary also refused to deny that she has ambitions of succeeding Theresa May as prime minister, saying only that she has not “got time” to think about it.
Ms Rudd said on BBC1 on Sunday: "I don't want him managing the Brexit process.” She insisted that Mrs May is “driving the car” and, when pressed on Mr Johnson’s intervention, she said: “You could call it backseat driving."
Earlier this year Mr Ellwood was hailed a hero after he battled in vain to save PC Keith Palmer, the police officer, stabbed by a terrorist in an attack in the precincts of the Houses of Parliament.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/18/senior-tory-minister-calls-unity-boris-johnson-amber-rudd-clash/
