Boris Johnson can’t hide forever, for the country’s sake he needs to be held accountable

Rory Stewart has a vital role to play in testing Mr Johnson to his limits

Tuesday 18 June 2019 21:40 BST
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He is playing a dangerous game by offering ‘all things to all people’
He is playing a dangerous game by offering ‘all things to all people’

There is no doubt who emerged as the real winner in the second round of voting amongst Conservative MPs in the party’s leadership election. Rory Stewart, the rank outsider and a cabinet minister only since last month, again defied political gravity by doubling his vote to 37 MPs and securing a place in Wednesday’s third round.

True, Boris Johnson remains on course for Downing Street. But he had less to celebrate after Tuesday’s ballot: the number of MPs backing him rose by only 12 to 126, less than some supporters had hoped. Team Boris will be alarmed by the remarkable advance by Mr Stewart who, unlike the other candidates, has not pulled his punches when criticising Mr Johnson and would not serve in a government led by him.

The plain-speaking Mr Stewart has destabilised the rival candidates, who regarded him as a harmless maverick when he entered the race. He has spoken the inconvenient truth that Theresa May’s successor would be confronted by the same EU and parliamentary arithmetic which destroyed her premiership. He has rightly stood out against an economically damaging no-deal exit on 31 October.

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