Boris Johnson has faced a backlash over his attack on Theresa May’s Brexit plans, with a string of senior Conservatives lining up to denounce him as the prime minister sought to save her Chequers deal.



Downing Street delivered a rare public rebuke of the former foreign secretary, in response to his column in the Daily Telegraph.

But with Westminster in a febrile mood as MPs began to arrive after the summer recess, May’s proposals looked on shaky ground with pro-Brexit Tory groups preparing to step up their campaigns to “chuck Chequers”.

The leading Brexit supporter Jacob Rees-Mogg added to the prime minister’s woes by claiming after a Brexit committee meeting with Michel Barnier that the EU’s chief negotiator agreed that the Chequers proposal was “complete rubbish”.

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Before a meeting of the right-wing European Research Group on Tuesday, Brexiters claimed May now had a “very limited window” of time to row back if she wanted to avoid a humiliating Commons defeat over the final deal. The ERG is expected to publish its own alternative plans in coming weeks.

Whitehall sources insisted that May was prepared to “go into battle” to deliver on her Chequers plan, which would keep the UK in a form of single market for goods with a bespoke customs arrangement with Brussels, despite intense opposition from across her party.

The prime minister’s spokesman said: “The Chequers proposals are the only credible and negotiable plan which has been put forward and which will deliver on the will of the British people.”

Brexit secretary Dominic Raab will attempt to put the government on the front foot as he defends the government’s plans in the Commons after a summer of intense talks. No 10 is also preparing for a crunch “no deal” cabinet meeting next week.



In what was regarded at Westminster as a concerted push-back against Johnson’s attack, No 10 poured scorn on his claim that May was negotiating with Brussels with a “white flag fluttering”.

The PM’s spokesman said: “There are no new ideas in this article to respond to. What we need at this time is serious leadership with a serious plan. That’s exactly what the country has with this prime minister and this Brexit plan.”

Play Video 7:31 Is Brexit definitely going to happen? – video explainer

No 10’s intervention marks an escalation of the feud between the prime minister and her former foreign secretary, which has intensified since his attack on the government’s Brexit plans, widely viewed as a renewed push for the top job.

A string of senior Tories weighed in, with the home secretary, Sajid Javid, calling on the Tory party to unite behind May’s blueprint, pointedly adding: “For those who think there is a different way then they need to properly set out what alternatives there might be.”



Damian Green, May’s former deputy, condemned hard-Brexit supporters for having no workable plan of their own, although he conceded that May faced “a narrow path” to get her own agreed by MPs. “But it is absolutely certain that there is no parliamentary majority in the House of Commons for a hard Brexit,” he said.

Former Brexit secretary David Davis issued a thinly veiled swipe against Johnson when, asked if it would be better if May stood down, he said: “No, we don’t need any more turbulence right now. What matters in all of this is not the personality politics, it’s the outcome at the end.”

However, Johnson was backed by Tory Brexiters Steve Baker, who described his article as “superb”, and Owen Patterson, who said it offered a clear articulation of the “myths” surrounding the Irish border.

Some high-profile remainers are also unhappy with the Chequers proposal, with former cabinet minister Justine Greening describing it as “more unpopular than the poll tax”. She said: “Chequers is now dead.”

Several Brexit-supporting sources confirmed that political strategist Sir Lynton Crosby was working with the ERG on a wider campaign against Chequers. “Lynton has offered some assistance to the ERG because the key battle is in parliament,” one said.

Quick guide Who are the main pro- and anti-Brexit groups? Show Hide Pro-Brexit - European Research Group The long-established coalition of Brexit-minded Conservative MPs – though it publishes no list of members – led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, and one of Theresa May’s main obstacles in parliament. Leave Means Leave Headed by the businessman Richard Tice, and newly joined by Nigel Farage, this group seeks a Brexit completely outside any single market, customs union or EU oversight. Change Britain The successor group to the official leave campaign, it is headed by Labour MP Gisela Stuart, and says it wants to see the referendum result “respected and delivered in full”. Stand Up 4 Brexit A new group campaigning to sink May’s Chequers proposals, which claims the support of 20 Tory MPs, among them Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith. Leave.EU The unofficial leave campaign, financed by Arron Banks, which faces scrutiny about its tactics and funding. These days mainly a Twitter feed that mixes Brexit news with far-right-friendly messages about immigrants and Islam. Soft Brexit/remain - Open Britain Springing up in the wake of the referendum, this grouped MPs from various parties in pushing for a soft Brexit. It was supported by some Tories, such as Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve, but they cut ties over a plan to oust hard Brexit-backing MPs. Best for Britain A later arrival, chaired by the former Labour minister Mark Malloch-Brown, this is more directly opposed to Brexit itself, and has received funding from the billionaire George Soros. People's Vote Part of Open Britain, this group calls for a referendum on the final Brexit deal. European Movement A long-established pro-EU group with sections across Europe, this has had a lower-profile role in the Brexit aftermath. Chaired by ex-Conservative cabinet minister Stephen Dorrell. Our Future Our Choice Set up by and seeking to represent young people, the group organises protests, and is probably best known for its eloquent spokesman Femi Oluwole. For Our Future’s Sake Going by the handy acronym of FFS, this is a student-based group seeking to block Brexit. Scientists for the EU A self-explanatorily named niche pressure group with a heavyweight set of scientific backers.

They claimed the prime minister would struggle to get her proposal through the Commons, with as many as 50 Tory MPs prepared to vote against it, and another 20 following former minister Nick Boles who this week abandoned his support for Chequers in favour of a Norway-style deal.

One leading Brexiter said: “The PM basically needs a landing zone for pulling back from the situation she’s currently in. There is a very limited window if she wants to avoid the abject humiliation of being defeated in the Commons on Chequers.”

Allies of Johnson denied he was instrumental in any campaign, despite his opposition to May’s plan, although he and Crosby, who ran his two successful London mayoral campaigns, are known to be in regular contact. “Boris does speak regularly to Lynton and they believe that Chequers is the wrong way forward for the country, but any suggestion that he’s involved in some form of coordinated plan is wide of the mark,” one said.

It came as at least 20 Eurosceptic Tory MPs, backed by former Tory ministers Iain Duncan Smith, Priti Patel and Steve Baker, backed the #standup4brexit grassroots campaign group, with more expected to sign up.



Ministers do not now expect a deal to be agreed until November. Senior No 10 insiders have described the Salzburg summit later this month as a key moment that would allow May to appeal directly to other EU leaders, although Downing Street has since attempted to lower expectations.

In a further sign of ill-discipline in the party, the Brexiter MP Andrew Bridgen on Monday defied Conservative HQ orders and approved Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore, leading figures from the Leave.EU campaign, to join the party. Their application must also be accepted by CCHQ, which sources said would again reject it.