SOLIHULL’S MPs have reacted to Boris Johnson’s election as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister.
The Observer fired questions to Conservatives Meriden MP Dame Caroline Spelman and Solihull MP Julian Knight, in anticipation of Mr Johnson’s election victory on Tuesday (July 23).
We asked: “Hypothetically, would you serve in Boris Johnson’s cabinet if you were asked to?
“Does he have your support?
“Is he in your opinion reliable enough to be Prime Minister given that he is widely regarded as error-prone and controversial?”
Dame Caroline’s full response was: “I welcome the appointment of Boris Johnson as the next Prime Minister and congratulate him on his campaign. I wish him every success at this critical juncture in our country’s history.”
We received no response from Mr Knight.
Mr Knight tweeted: “Congratulations to Boris Johnson. Great speech. Now let’s finally get out of the EU as the British people voted for, and end the menace of Corbynism and unite the party!”
Mr Johnson was a lead campaigner for Brexit which has divided Conservative MPs, his party, Westminster and the country.
He has repeatedly committed to the UK leaving the European Union by October 31, even in a no-deal circumstance.
Mr Johnson has pledged to use the threat of no-deal to try to force the EU’s hand into accepting a Brexit deal – a deal improved on his predecessor Theresa May’s agreement with the EU which was rejected by Parliament.
He had also refused to rule out by-passing parliament to force through Brexit by the deadline, until an amendment passed by pro-EU MPs ruled this out.
A general election is being speculated over, but Labour has ruled out an immediate vote of no confidence in a Boris Johnson government, which could trigger one.
Mr Johnson has also promised wide-reaching public spending increases in sectors like education and policing and a raft of tax cuts.
In Solihull borough, 56 per cent of residents voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.
Since then, the borough’s MPs have adopted increasingly conflicting positions on Brexit – despite both voting ‘remain’.
Dame Caroline has been a strong advocate for taking a ‘disastrous’ no-deal off the table – to protect manufacturing jobs and the car industry in the West Midlands.
Mr Knight has become increasingly outspoken on Brexit, despite in the past being criticised for being ‘silent’ on the issue.
On June 23, he hit out at his fellow MPs for failing to deliver Brexit – three years after the country voted to leave.
