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Would-be PMs clash over Brexit date as Raab says Tories are ‘toast’ if they delay again but Hunt admits he could push EU exit back

Would-be PMs clash over Brexit date as Raab says Tories are ‘toast’ if they delay again but Hunt admits he could push EU exit back

TORY leadership contenders today clashed over Brexit as they publicly warred over whether to delay again.

Dominic Raab warned the Tories will be “toast” if they don’t lead Britain out of the EU on October 31.

Dominic Raab says the Tories must keep their promise to quit the EU on October 31
PA:Press Association

But Jeremy Hunt refused to rule out pushing the deadline back – admitting he may need extra time to get a deal.

And contenders took aim at frontrunner Boris Johnson, calling for him to explain his Brexit plans in detail.

Mr Raab told Sky News: “The Tory party will be toast unless we are out by the end of October.

“The Conservatives cannot win an election unless we have delivered Brexit.

“All those candidates that are going weak at the knees and saying ‘I’m not sure about this and that’, they are sending a message to the EU that they can take us for a ride.

“We have had three years of that. It is time to get this done.”

The ex-Brexit Secretary is battling to stay in the race as most senior Brexiteers rally behind Boris instead.

Mr Raab is struggling to stay in the race ahead of Tuesday’s second ballot of MPs.

DEAL DONE?

Mr Hunt, who came second in the first ballot last week, today insisted he is “the alternative to Boris”.

He claimed EU leaders including Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel are open to a new Brexit deal to replace Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement.

The Foreign Secretary told the BBC: “They have said they would be prepared to consider a deal so that we don’t need a backstop.

“If you approach them with the right Prime Minister, someone they’re prepared to talk to, then if we unite as a Conservative party we can find a deal.

“I’m the Foreign Secretary who knows these governments, I’m a negotiator by background.”

Pushed on whether he would consider delaying Brexit past October 31, Mr Hunt admitted that he’d rather postpone the deadline then crash out with No Deal on Halloween.

Boris Johnson – who insists the October 31 deadline must be honoured – is under mounting pressure to lay out the details of his plan for Brexit.

Challenger Rory Stewart blasted: “How is Boris going to deliver Brexit? He keeps saying, ‘I am going to deliver it’.

“I don’t even know what he believes. He won’t talk to me. He won’t talk to you. He won’t talk to the public.”

Mr Johnson is runaway favourite to be the next PM after his landslide win in the first leadership ballot last week.

Timetable of Tory leadership election which will pick new PM

June 7: Theresa May stood down as party leader but will continue as PM until her successor is elected

June 10: Nominations for the leadership closed with ten candidates entering the race

June 13: First ballot of MPs; three candidates (Leadsom, Harper and McVey) eliminated

June 14: Matt Hancock drops out

June 16: All candidates invited to take part in live debate on Channel 4, starting at 6.30pm

June 18: Second ballot, open 3pm-5pm; any candidate with fewer than 33 votes eliminated – all remaining candidates invited to take part in live debate on BBC One, starting at 8pm

June 19: Third ballot (if needed), open 3pm-5pm; candidate with fewest votes eliminated

June 20: Fourth ballot (if needed), open 10am-12pm; candidate with fewest votes eliminated – any further ballots needed will also take place on this day

June 22: Final two candidates take part in first members’ hustings, set to take place in Birmingham

July 8: Tory bosses send out postal votes to all party activists

July 22: Result announced this week, in time for Commons recess to begin

Jeremy Hunt admitted he could delay Brexit if he gets to No10
PA:Press Association
Boris Johnson speaking to Tory activists yesterday
Andrew Parsons

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