Trade Secretary Liam Fox backs Jeremy Hunt to be next PM in surprise move
TRADE Secretary Liam Fox has backed Jeremy Hunt in the race to replace Theresa May in a surprise move.
The leading Leave campaigner was expected to back one of the top Brexiteer candidate but said the Foreign Secretary, a Remainer who last week infuriated Eurosceptics by describing a No Deal as “political suicide”.
Mr Fox said he was backing “my friend” Mr Hunt and despite previously backing a No Deal Brexit he struck a notably different tone by warning that it could trigger the break-up of the UK.
Mr Fox becomes the first Cabinet minister to back the Foreign Secretary and leapfrogs him above Mr Gove in the race for Tory MPs’ nominations - putting him second behind Boris Johnson.
The Trade chief said Mr Hunt was the best prospect of getting a Brexit deal through parliament because of his business background.
Mr Fox told the Today programme: “In this contest I will be backing my friend Jeremy Hunt, who is an impressive Foreign Secretary, an entrepreneur by background, where deal making is part of his DNA.”
most read in politics
Warning of the consequences of a No Deal Brexit, he added: “I think the prospect of a no-deal might well be used by those who seek to break up the UK.
But he added: “If we can’t get an agreement we have to be ready to walk away — otherwise we have no negotiating hand.”
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk
