Hunt ups pressure on Johnson by calling him a “coward”

‘Jeremy Hunt has accused Boris Johnson of being a coward for avoiding public scrutiny as pressure mounts on the Tory frontrunner to address the row with his girlfriend that led to police being called. In his most personal attack on his leadership rival so far, the foreign secretary says Mr Johnson appears willing to “slink through the back door” of No 10 by “pathetically” evading questioning… Mr Hunt says that Tory members want a “fair and open contest, not one that one side is trying to rig to avoid scrutiny”. “One of the strengths of our system is that we scrutinise our politicians with more intelligent ferocity than anywhere else in the world. But in this case it just isn’t happening,” he writes… Mr Hunt challenges to Mr Johnson to show up to tomorrow’s Sky News debate. “Don’t be a coward Boris, man up and show the nation you can cope with the intense scrutiny the most difficult job in the country will involve.”’ – The Times

• The Foreign Secretary reiterated the criticism on TV this morning – Daily Mail
• I’m not interested in debating his private life, but he must face scrutiny – Jeremy Hunt, The Times
• He attacks his rival for the risk he will ‘disappoint people very quickly’ in office – Daily Telegraph
• Fox and Rifkind say he should explain the events that led to police call-out – The Times
• Members at Birmingham hustings express concern about a ‘get Boris’ campaign – The Times
• He should address the questions, but the most important thing is still stopping Corbyn – The Times Leader
• Hunt says the UK would consider war on Iran… – The Sun
• …and says he would abandon May’s immigration target… – Daily Mail
• …and hits the campaign trail in Scotland – Daily Mail
• He is the man to get us out of the EU – Penny Mordaunt, Daily Express
• The candidates must consider the world beyond Brexit – Daily Telegraph Leader

>Yesterday: WATCH: Fox suggests that Hunt has a “good chance” of getting a new deal from the EU

Johnson: No more bottling; we can, must and will leave on 31st October

‘We are just over four months away from the date on which, by law, we must leave the EU; and this time we are not going to bottle it. We are not going to fail. This time we are not going to shrink in fear from the exit, as we have on the last two occasions. We are going to show all the mettle, the creativity and the energy of this amazing nation. We are going to focus all our efforts on honouring that single great promise – and we are going to come out of the EU on October 31. We can, we must and we will. And when we do there will be a moment of release and of opportunity.’ – Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph

• MPs want guarantees of an October exit – The Times
• As do the DUP – The Sun
• Ellwood warns a dozen Tory MPs would vote against a No Deal government – The Guardian
• Johnson says the post-Brexit pitch must be ‘Higher pay under the Tories or higher taxes under Labour’ – Daily Telegraph
• The front-runner must produce policies in order to win – Leo McKinstry, Daily Express
• Cox appears to disagree with his view on tariffs – FT
• Johnson will swat the SNP – Colin Clark, Douglas Ross, Ross Thomson, Daily Telegraph
• Truss warns against complacency – Daily Telegraph
• Is No Deal a real possibility? – FT
• We Lib Dems still won’t accept the result – Jo Swinson, The Times
• The next Prime Minister must use the tax system to optimise economic success – Roger Bootle, Daily Telegraph

>Today: Alexander Temerko on Comment: Without a softer Brexit, the Conservatives will be destroyed. Who can best deliver it – Hunt or Johnson?

>Yesterday: WATCH: Burka comments were “very liberal”. Sunak defends Johnson from allegations of racism.

Morgan and Hands find that existing technology can render the backstop unnecessary in three years

‘The think tank Prosperity UK believes alternative arrangements to the backstop can be up and running within three years, solving the current deadlock that has prevented a Brexit deal being agreed. It claims that with “goodwill and pragmatism” from all sides, a technology-based plan for avoiding a hard border is already possible, and has the support of Parliament, which backed such an idea in January. Prosperity UK asked former Remainers Nicky Morgan and Greg Hands to lead an Alternative Arrangements Commission that is in the process of examining ways of solving the Irish border problem. Both MPs accept the result of the EU referendum and want Britain to leave the EU with a deal. In their interim report, which will be published on Monday, they say that a solution can be found “by harnessing existing technologies and customs best practice – futuristic high-tech solutions are not needed”.’ – Daily Telegraph

• Alternative arrangements on the Irish border are practical and deliverable – Nicky Morgan and Greg Hands, The Times
• The next Prime Minister should have dedicated Union team – Alun Cairns, The Times
• Oculus founder who has developed tech for the Mexican border says his company can help in Northern Ireland – Daily Telegraph
• Drones and other potential solutions bring their own controversies – Daily Telegraph

>Today: ToryDiary: The GATT XXIV plan – and why Brexiteers should pay the EU the compliment of taking its negotiating stance seriously.

Symonds’ home is besieged by the same anarchist group that hectored Rees-Mogg’s children

‘Boris Johnson and his girlfriend have fled their home following the bust-up that has dented his hopes of becoming prime minister. With anarchists now camped outside the flat, he and Carrie Symonds, 31, have decided to go into hiding. Friends of the former foreign secretary say it may be impossible for him to return to the £700,000 property in Camberwell, south London… Yesterday, anarchists perched themselves on the steps of Miss Symonds’ flat to protest against her lover and his party’s policies. Six Class War supporters shouted abuse and held up posters reading ‘f*** Boris, f*** the government’. Camberwell residents have also shown their distaste at having Mr Johnson as their neighbour and posters mocking him were put up before Friday’s altercation.’ – Daily Mail

• ‘The couple intend to live together in Number Ten if he is elected Tory leader’, source says – Daily Telegraph
• They are described as ‘very much in love’ – Daily Mail
• At heart, Johnson is quite a sensitive soul – Dominic Lawson, Daily Mail
• But he should have confronted this issue on Saturday – Daily Express Leader
• Remainer neighbour tweeted that Brexit was ‘racist’ and the Prime Minister was ‘insanely cruel’ – The Times
• The BBC’s anti-Brexit, anti-Johnson propaganda machine played along with these spiteful busybodies – Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun
• We did the right thing – The Guardian Leader
• It’s a question of character – Matthew d’Ancona, The Guardian
• Team Johnson disputes Bannon’s claim to have advised him – FT

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