Rory Stewart says he’d work under Boris Johnson to clear up No Deal Brexit chaos
RORY Stewart has revealed he could serve under arch-rival Boris Johnson – to clear up the chaos of a No Deal Brexit. He previously claimed he would not work with the odds-on next Prime Minister because he has vowed to take Britain out of Europe without an agreement in October. But in a surprise U-turn, […]
RORY Stewart has revealed he could serve under arch-rival Boris Johnson – to clear up the chaos of a No Deal Brexit.
He previously claimed he would not work with the odds-on next Prime Minister because he has vowed to take Britain out of Europe without an agreement in October.
But in a surprise U-turn, Aid Secretary Mr Stewart said in an interview with The Sun that he would consider helping a Boris government if we crashed out – because of his experience in crisis management.
Asked if he could remain in the Cabinet if Boris took the UK out of Europe without a deal, Mr Stewart replied: “I couldn’t pursue that policy.”
But he went on: “I suppose if he were to do so, I would feel it was my duty, if he wanted me, to come back and help try to deal with the aftermath. But I think the aftermath would be deeply damaging.”
Mr Stewart has become the surprise star of the Tory leadership race with his viral social media videos of his talks with members of the public around the country.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
He narrowly scraped through the first round of voting with 19 MP backers, but polls suggest he is now the second most popular candidate among Conservative party members.
Asked if he now wished he had stood for leader in 2016 when there were fewer contenders, and more time to seek compromise over Brexit, Mr Stewart replied: “My whole life has been spent working in crisis. That’s what I do – I try to turn round crises.”
A former Army officer and diplomat, he said he had been sent to Afghanistan after the Taliban fell, Iraq after Saddam and Libya after the fall of Gaddafi.
“I feel as a public servant this is the time of probably the greatest crisis we’ve had in this country for 40 years, and that’s what motivates me.
“People say being Prime Minister now is a poisoned chalice – I want to drink that poison for the country.”
‘I WANT TO DRINK THAT POISON’
Mr Stewart trekked 650 miles around Penrith and the Border constituency a decade ago, and vowed if he got into Downing Street that he would take out a day every week to continue his walks around the country.
He said it was vital to listen to people as governments get “enormous amounts wrong”.
And after leaving politics he said he would want to continue walking – including along the Congo river.
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There has long been speculation that Mr Stewart – whose late father Brian was the second-most senior officer in MI6 – had been a spy early in his career.
Asked by The Sun if he had worked for MI6 he replied: “No.”
But he went on: “It’s the Secret Intelligence Service, bound by the Official Secrets Act. So even if you found someone who was an intelligence officer, they wouldn’t tell you they were an intelligence officer.”
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