Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Stripping Julian Lewis of the Tory whip could backfire on Boris

Julian Lewis (BBC)

Boris Johnson hasn’t had as much authority over his MPs as he might have expected over the past few months. Tonight, after Number 10 failed to install Chris Grayling as its preferred, loyal, candidate as chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee, it has tried to offer a show of strength by removing the Tory whip from Julian Lewis, who led a successful coup with the help of Labour MPs.

This is a high stakes move. Firstly, Lewis is one of the most instinctively Tory members of the parliamentary party and has dedicated his career to a series of very Conservative causes, particularly defence, the nuclear deterrent, and Brexit. He also campaigned against the infiltration of the Labour party by the Militant tendency in the 1970s. Unlike some of the other Conservatives who’ve had the whip removed by Johnson in the past, he is not someone who would sit comfortably in any other party. He is also generally held in affection by his colleagues, who tend to see him as a kind, nerdy sort.

Secondly, MPs across the House tend to react very badly to attempts by the executive to erode the power of the legislature with cunning plans. Look further back than Brexit to the rows over attempts to stitch up John Bercow’s position as Speaker, and you’ll see that many Tory MPs lose their tempers when they think No. 10 is trying to diddle Parliament.

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Isabel Hardman
Written by
Isabel Hardman
Isabel Hardman is assistant editor of The Spectator and author of Why We Get the Wrong Politicians. She also presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster.

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