FORMER chancellor Philip Hammond has suggested Boris Johnson's Brexit strategy satisfies supporters who have bet on a hard withdrawal.
Supporting comments made by the Prime Minister’s own sister, Hammond also says there is “no evidence” the current Tory government is pushing for an agreement with the EU.
His comments follow a report by the Byline Times that the Cabinet Office has been asked to investigate whether Johnson may have breached ministerial code by not declaring any financial connection to hedge fund donors who contributed to his Tory leadership bid.
Hammond was among 21 MPs who had the Conservative whip withdrawn after voting against the Government on legislation to block No Deal.
In a column for the Times, he writes: “Boris Johnson asserts, ever more boldly, that we will leave the EU on October 31, ‘with or without a deal’. But as his sister has reminded us, he is backed by speculators who have bet billions on a hard Brexit – and there is only one outcome that works for them: a crash-out No-Deal Brexit that sends the currency tumbling and inflation soaring.
“So they, at least, will be reassured to see no evidence at all that his government has seriously pursued a deliverable deal; still less that it has been pursuing a deal that could get us out by October 31. The time available means that the only deal with any prospect of delivering that outcome is the deal that they have already rejected and that many of them have voted against.”
LISTEN: Boris Johnson's sister condemns his Brexit strategy
He goes on to predict that the UK will not withdraw from the EU on October 31.
According to the Byline Times, a complaint was made last month to the director-general of the Cabinet Office's Propriety and Ethics Team, Helen MacNamara, about Johnson’s financial connections to backers of his leadership campaign.
Hammond’s comments echo those of Rachel Johnson, who this week condemned her brother’s Brexit strategy.
Asked BBC Radio 4's World at One what could be behind the strategy, she said: "It could be (senior aide) Dominic Cummings advising the Prime Minister to be extremely aggressive and to face down opposition from all sides of the establishment in order to secure his position as the tribune of the people.
"It could be coming from my brother himself, he obviously thoroughly enjoys being Prime Minister.
"It also could be from – who knows – people who have invested billions in shorting the pound or shorting the country in the expectation of a no-deal Brexit. We don't know."
According to the BBC, the Tory government is expected to set out "concrete proposals" for a Brexit deal with the EU next week.
Boris Johnson has said he would prefer to leave on October 31 with an agreement.
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