UK finance minister threatens to resign as Johnson prepares to become PM

British finance minister Philip Hammond said yesterday he would make a point of resigning before Boris Johnson became prime minister, saying he could never agree to his Brexit strategy.

Johnson is expected to take office on Wednesday, vowing to deliver Brexit on October 31 come what may, in the face of intense opposition in parliament.

Opponents of Brexit, and especially of a no-deal departure, are plotting moves against Johnson. Pro-EU protesters rallied in central London at the weekend in anticipation of Johnson taking office, in a “No to Boris, yes to Europe” demonstration.

Some Conservatives, Hammond included, have hinted they are prepared to bring down their own government rather than accept leaving the EU without an agreement. The centre-right Conservatives command a razor-thin majority in parliament’s lower House of Commons and Johnson’s opponents, both within and outside the party are keen to scupper his leadership. Johnson has vowed to take Britain out of the European Union on October 31, with or without a divorce deal.

The postal ballot of 160,000 grassroots party members is expected to return Johnson, 55, as the new Conservative leader over his contender, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.  Any remaining ballots must be delivered by today at 5:00pm (1600 GMT). Bookmakers give Hunt around a one-in-15 chance of victory.

A resignation by Hammond, who has become an increasingly fierce critic of Johnson’s approach, would show the depth of opposition Johnson may find himself up against as PM, observers said.

Former London mayor Johnson is the runaway favourite to win the governing Conservative Party’s leadership contest on Tuesday and then replace Prime Minister Theresa May when she quits the premiership on Wednesday.

Observers said Hammond would never have expected to remain as Chancellor of the Exchequer under Johnson anyway. But the fact that the second most senior figure in the government is pre-empting his removal in any cabinet reshuffle by the incoming prime minister is seen as significant.