Jeremy Hunt comes out against no deal Brexit in tomorrow's Tgraph:

'Trying to deliver no deal through a general election is not a solution. It is political suicide, that would delight Nigel Farage and probably put Jeremy Corbyn in No 10 by Christmas.' https://t.co/JLGNmZUkVA

— Katy Balls (@katyballs) May 27, 2019

Hunt’s move could put BoJo on the spot

The Telegraph is reporting what could prove to be a big move in the race to become TMay’s successor – he’s raised the issue of a possile no deal which he describes as “political suicide” for the Tories. Frontrunner Johnson has already declared that he’d leave with a deal or not.

According to the Telegraph Hunt said that “any Prime Minister who tries to take Britain out of the EU without a deal will trigger a general election and risk the “extinction” of the Conservative Party. He warned that Brexiteer leadership candidates risk putting Britain’s “first Marxist prime minister” in Downing Street by Christmas as he accused them of offering a “prospectus for disaster”.

This sound like a smart move with the race about to get under way and will likely put BoJo under scrutiny for all the issues that a no deal Brexit could throw up. Johnson needs to be put under pressure defending his position.

Hunt can portray himself as the serious one going deep into the issue about something which has never really been explored in depth – what a no deal would actually mean. He could portray Johnson, for instance, as someone ready to risk the economy for his own political ambition.

Will it help him? Maybe because at least he goes into the race taking the opening initiative.

In the betting Hunt is currently at a 6% chance compared with BoJo’s 36% one.

Mike Smithson

Follow @MSmithsonPB

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