Boris Johnson's plan means no-deal Brexit or election, says Jeremy Hunt

Foreign secretary says it is wrong to commit rigidly to leaving the EU by 31 October

Heather Stewart Political editor
Sun 16 Jun 2019 15.44 BST First published on Sun 16 Jun 2019 10.59 BST

Jeremy Hunt has said the Brexit deadline of 31 October should not be a “hard stop” and that Boris Johnson is posing a “stark choice”, between leaving the EU without a deal and a general election.

As the five remaining rivals to Boris Johnson prepare for a televised debate on Sunday evening, Hunt warned it would be wrong to commit now to leave the EU by Halloween, come what may.

He told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show: “I want to make an argument that what Boris is offering – a hard stop at any cost, on 31 October – means that he is effectively committing the country to no deal … or an election, if parliament chooses to stop that. And my argument is, are those really the best that we as Conservatives can offer the country?”

Hunt’s comments contrasted with a fresh warning from his fellow leadership contender Dominic Raab on Sunday that the Tory party would be “toast” if it failed to take Britain out of the EU by the end of October.

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