Ann Widdecombe says UK 'needs a committed Brexiteer'
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Boris Johnson, who famously used the “Get Brexit Done” slogan in his 2019 general election campaign, won a huge majority of more than 80 seats in the House of Commons – helping him defy a vote of no confidence in him last month. But the Prime Minister’s bombshell resignation announcement on Wednesday has breathed new life into the ever-persistent Remainer movement. Last week, Sir Keir Starmer risked a Labour Party backlash by finally insisting there is no chance of the UK rejoining the European Union.
However Remainers now believe that with a new Tory leader and Prime Minister in place, the chances of a Brexit reversal have significantly increased.
But Ben Harris-Quinney, Chairman of the Bow Group think tank, told Express.co.uk: “The reason Keir Starmer announced, against the wishes of his party, that Labour would not reverse Brexit, was because he knows they can’t win an election if they try to.
“For the Conservative Party that is doubly true. If a future leader of the Conservative Party attempted to undo Brexit, not only would they lose the next election, it would be the end of the Conservative Party entirely.
“For too long those that voted for and supported the Conservative Party have been betrayed, and no further betrayal will be tolerated.”
The political expert further warned: “It is crucial that any future leader recognises that Brexit demanded a revolution in Westminster, which despite promises was not delivered. Boris governed to the left of Blair, and a continuation of this will result in peril.
“If the Conservative Party leadership election allows the members a full say of a wide range of candidates, then they will choose someone that will implement that Brexit revolution.
“If that process is stolen by establishment and Westminster figures, then they risk a repeat of the last three leaders, or worse.”
Mr Harris-Quinney also dashed Remainer hopes of overturning Brexit by insisting senior voices, such as historically strong Tories, will continue to “remain on the sidelines”.
The Bow Group Chairman said: “Remainers will of course attempt to seize upon these events to their own ends, but figures like Michael Heseltine have almost zero support among the Conservative membership.
“He and many of his acolytes were removed from the Conservative Party, and whilst they will snipe from the sidelines to reverse Brexit, on the sidelines is where they will likely remain.”
The political expert stressed the importance of now ensuring a “genuine Brexiteer enters Downing Street as the next Prime Minister” who can take the UK to the next level on the world stage.
Mr Harris-Quinney added there is now a huge opportunity for the next leader to “embrace the patriotic Brexit agenda” and deliver for voters to ensure the split from the EU is “done properly”.
He concluded: “The Conservative and Brexit movements have yet another battle to fight now: to ensure that a genuine Brexiteer enters Downing Street as the next Prime Minister, who can complete Brexit in both letter and spirit and lead the nation forward in that vein.
“Boris made many promises, and he captured the faith of many of those people who had lost faith in political parties but voted for Brexit and turned out in 2019 to deliver the largest Conservative majority since Thatcher.
“There is therefore a huge opportunity for a future leader to embrace the patriotic Brexit agenda and deliver for them. If they do there is potential for a huge improvement on Boris, and for Brexit to not only get done, but get done properly.
“The Bow Group will be encouraging figures like Esther McVey and Suella Braverman to stand, and for them to be given a full and fair run before the membership.
“They have the potential to embrace the Brexit agenda, re-capture the spirit of the referendum and 2019 support in the red wall and Tory heartlands alike, and give a betrayed public the agenda they keep voting for and keep being denied.”
During his resignation speech, Mr Johnson listed a number of achievements he had made in his time as Prime Minister, and that he was “immensely proud” of “getting Brexit done”.
He said outside 10 Downing Street: “Of course, I’m immensely proud of the achievements of this government: from getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century, reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in parliament, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown, and in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.
“And let me say now, to the people of Ukraine, that I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes.”
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