Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt go head to head
Tory leadership hopefuls Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt went head to head in this week’s ITV debate. In an intense hour both candidates turned up the heat on one another during questions put to them by members of the audience.
In a heated exchange of words, Jeremy Hunt said “Boris, the difference between you and me is, you are peddling optimism, we need leadership that will guide us through this great constitutional change”.
Boris Johnson stuck to his core campaign message that it’s vital that we leave the European Union on the 31st October and that the £39bn payment to the EU should be suspended to create ambiguity and accused Jeremy Hunt of not being committed to leaving the European Union on the 31st October.
The question that everyone wanted an answer to was whether Jeremy Hunt or Boris Johnson would keep UK ambassador to the US on following the leaked document in which Kim Darroch suggested the US president was incompetent, inept and things are likely to not change.
In response to the leak, President Trump tweeted that he wanted Mr Darroch sacked. Jeremy Hunt categorically said he would not sack Mr Darroch whilst Mr Johnson refrained from answering the question.
The Labour family needs an intervention
The Labour Party has often described itself as a family but if that is the case then clearly an intervention is needed. As tensions escalate between Tom Watson Deputy Leader of the Labour Party who accused Jennie Formby the party’s general secretary over poor handling over complaints of antisemitism the hard-left propaganda machine went into overdrive.
In what could be argued as the battle for winning the moral high ground, pro-Corbyn supporters accused Watson of political posturing motivated by self-gain which resulted in Len McLuskey, key Corbyn ally and leader of Unite addressing a crowd at the Durham Miners Gala in which he said "I've said it today at the Durham Miners' Gala so I'll repeat it here. Attacking a woman going through chemotherapy - @tom_watson you are a f****** disgrace. @JennieGenSec."
Calls for Watson’s resignation has intensified but the reality is that there is likely to be no winners in this situation.
Andrew Neil cross examines Tory leadership hopefuls
Veteran political broadcaster and journalist Andrew Neil interviewed both leadership contenders. In what can only be described as a tough cross examination for both leadership rivals. Jeremy Hunt was accused of being “Theresa May in trousers” and Boris Johnson was challenged on his understanding of the General Agreement on tariffs and Trade (Article 24), when asked by Andrew Neil how would you handle article 5b, Johnson responded and said “paragraph 5B, article 24, get the detail right, get the detail right Andrew, it’s article 24 paragraph 5B”.
When asked about how Mr Johnson would handle paragraph 5C, he said “ I would confide in entirely in paragraph 5B” and when asked by Mr Neil did he know what was contained in paragraph 5C he admitted that he didn’t.