Dominic Raab would be caretaker prime minister in ‘ideal world’, Tories’ 1922 committee treasurer says

Cabinet minister Dominic Raab would have been caretaker prime minister in an “ideal world” the treasurer of the Conservatives’ 1922 committee has said, but conceded: “That ship has sailed”.

The comments from Sir Geoffrey Clinton-Brown came after Boris Johnson filled vacant cabinet roles, pledging not to “implement new policies or make major changes of direction” during his remaining time in office.

But amid anger over the prime minister’s conduct, a series of Conservative backbenchers called for Mr Johnson to resign immediately — rather than acting as a caretaker PM until a new Tory leader is elected.

Former Tory prime minister Sir John Major said on Wednesday it would be “unwise” and “unsustainable” for Mr Johnson to remain in office for up to three months, “having lost the support of his cabinet”.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Sir Geoffrey said: “I think in an ideal world, Dominic Raab, as deputy prime minister, should have been the caretaker prime minister.

“But that ship I think has sailed and we must now live with the fact that Boris Johnson will be prime minister until a successor can be voted on”.

The treasurer of the Tories’ 1922 Committee — a body which sets the timetable and rules of leadership contests — added it would be a “little awkward” for those ministers returning to government to serve in a caretaker role having resigned and called on Mr Johnson to quit.

Former Tory minister Caroline Nokes also said Mr Raab could have “stood in” as prime minister, but said the focus of the party should now be on a swift transfer of power with “weeks, rather than within months”.

While Tory anger appears to have abated, Labour’s Angela Rayner said on Friday her party still intends to table a no confidence vote in the Commons if the Conservatives “don’t get their act together and get rid of Boris Johnson” who has lost the confidence of the House.

“He’s a proven liar who’s engulfed in sleaze and we can’t have another couple of months of this, you know.

open image in gallery

“So they do have to get rid of him, and if they don’t, we will call a no confidence vote because it’s pretty clear — he hasn’t got the confidence of the house or the British public.”

As the Tory leadership hopefuls kicked off their campaigning, Sir Geoffrey also appeared to dismiss suggestions the contest would be expedited by dispensing of the Conservative members’ voting stage.“In this case, I think there is a lot of competition,” he said. “And I would be surprised if it didn’t go to the membership in the country.

“I think, actually, under these circumstances with the division in the party, I think it is a good thing that it goes to the to the membership so they have an opportunity to have their say and a vote.”

Speaking on Sky News, James Cleverly, the newly appointed education in Mr Johnson’s caretaker administration, also suggested it was important leadership contenders’ campaigning abilities are “tested”.

The cabinet minister highlighted the coronation of Theresa May as Tory leader after her rival Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the contest in 2016, which negated the need for a members’ vote across the country.

“What we saw with Theresa May that testing a future prime minister’s ability to campaign... is really important,” he stressed. “Theresa May had many many fantastic attributes, but what we saw in the 2017 general election she was not a natural campaigner”.