Philip Hammond is ‘an inept political operator in quite a crowded field’, according to one senior minister

Philip Hammond has lost the support of senior ministers who backed “remain” in the European referendum, adding to pressure on Theresa May to fire her chancellor in the next cabinet reshuffle.

Two senior remainers in the cabinet have joined prominent Brexiteers in arguing that Hammond should be moved when the prime minister changes her top team.

They are angry that the chancellor’s repeated gaffes are damaging their case that Britain should not force a dramatic rupture with Brussels. Their fury was stoked by Hammond’s performance last week, when he branded the EU “the enemy” and was forced to retract his comments within an hour.

One of the senior ministers told The Sunday Times: “Philip is an inept political operator in quite a crowded field.”

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