The war of words among senior Conservatives over Britain’s
relationship with Europe intensified last night, as David Cameron’s
attempt to make an upbeat case for staying in the European Union –
styling himself the leader of “Project Fact” – was dismissed by Boris Johnson as “baloney”.
On the latest stop in his nationwide roadshow to persuade voters to back EU membership in June’s referendum,
the prime minister sought to shrug off the accusation that his central
argument to voters has been to highlight the dangers of Brexit – an
approach that has been labelled “Project Fear”.
Instead, he sought to make the positive argument for staying in the
EU, holding out the prospect of creating a “greater Britain”. He told
students in Ipswich: “The only project I’m interested in is Project
Fact. Project Fact is about saying: ‘Stay in and you know what you’ll
get.’”
He spoke of the benefits of unfettered access to the European single
market and argued that Britain had a more powerful influence over global
affairs in partnership with other EU countries than it could have
alone. “I’m interested in Britain’s ability to bend the world to our way
of thinking,” he said.
However, Johnson, the mayor of London, when asked about Project Fact on a visit to Northern Ireland, described it as “baloney”. He insisted instead that the only positive case to be made was for Brexit.
“I think there is absolutely nothing to be concerned about, indeed
everything to gain,” he said. “We need to lift our eyes to the horizon,
we need to think globally.”
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Boris Johnson and Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers on Monday. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
Johnson’s criticisms – he had earlier said that the remain camp was
making “a series of questionable assertions” – was just one of a series
of hostile interventions yesterday from senior Conservatives,
underlining the struggle facing the prime minister in holding the
government together in the run-up to the poll and uniting his party
afterwards.
Chris
Grayling, one of the six cabinet members who favour Brexit, had earlier
dismissed a 28-page Cabinet Office report warning of what Cameron
called a “decade of uncertainty” if Britain votes to leave, as
“completely ludicrous”. Grayling accused his boss of running a
“relentless campaign of fear”.
Separately, employment minister Priti Patel, another prominent advocate for Brexit, ramped up the criticism
of cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood’s decision to limit the support
civil servants can provide to pro-Brexit ministers, describing it as
“unconstitutional”.
In Ipswich, Cameron adopted a conciliatory tone, saying: “I think
this has got completely out of proportion.” He insisted the restrictions
were reasonable because, “the government isn’t neutral on this: the
government has a clear position”.
But later in the day, the Cabinet Office minister Matt Hancock was
given a rough ride by Eurosceptic Conservative MPs in the Commons, as he
sought to justify the decision; and Heywood was forced to explain his
thinking to MPs on the public administration committee.
David Cameron says the EU vote is ‘more important than the general election’.
During an emergency debate, pro-Brexit Tory MPs claimed the Heywood
ruling could compromise the civil service’s “duty of honesty”. Bernard Jenkin,
a leading Tory Eurosceptic, led the rebellion with an urgent question
to the government, saying the limits went further than those imposed on
ministers in 1975 and created a worse atmosphere.
Gerald Howarth, a former defence minister, said it was a
“constitutional outrage” and risked giving an impression the referendum
was rigged in Cameron’s favour.
The criticisms did not only come from those who are arguing for the
UK to leave the EU. A number of Labour MPs raised concerns that the
decision will undermine trust in the EU referendum
because some will believe there has been an establishment stitch-up.
Tom Watson, the deputy Labour leader, said Cameron should let his
ministers act freely or sack them.
Asked in Ipswich how cabinet members could possibly work together
after the 23 June referendum, Cameron insisted his team had worked well
together in the past and could do so again.
He also rejected the criticism of the work and pensions secretary,
Iain Duncan Smith, at the weekend, that he had a “low opinion of the
British people” in doubting the country’s ability to go it alone.
“I have the highest opinion of the British people; I am a huge believer
in our country, but I think that a greater Britain can be achieved
inside the EU,” he said.
But the fresh outbreak of hostilities dashed any hopes of a ceasefire in so-called “blue on blue” attacks between senior Tories.
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The Cabinet Office report warned that as well as negotiating the
terms of an exit from the EU with the other member states, Britain would
also face a formidable challenge in striking new trade deals with
non-EU countries such as China, India and the US.
In Ipswich, Cameron urged young people, whom polling suggests are
more positive about the benefits of the EU than older voters, to turn
out and cast their vote on 23 June in what he called a “massive
decision”. “Whatever you think, put that date in your diary,” he said.
The prime minister’s effort to ditch Project Fear came after a call by the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, for a “thoroughly positive debate” about the benefits of staying in the EU.
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