Boris Johnson has been branded an unacceptable candidate to be prime minister by the Conservative minister Margot James, because of his “fuck business” remark when asked about companies’ concerns over Brexit.
James, a business minister and leading member of the One Nation Conservative group, said the comment meant Johnson was not fit for “high public office” as she addressed a Creative England event in London.
Speaking later to the Guardian, she said some of her colleagues promoting Brexit at any cost to business had the “wrong attitude”.
“I don’t think people in the public eye should be using language like that to discuss the concerns of the business community,” she said. “It’s the dismissive attitude to business that’s a problem among some people for whom Brexit is everything.”
She said another pro-Brexit leadership hopeful had privately been dismissive about businesses’ concerns to her, saying: “Oh, the tech industry is always moaning.”
She said: “That these people should be anywhere near the levers of power is quite worrying.”
Johnson was reported to have made the “fuck business” remark in July last year when asked about industry’s concerns over Brexit at a diplomatic event.
He later refused to deny he had made the comments, acknowledging in the Commons that he may have “expressed scepticism about some of the views of those who profess to speak up for business”.
It comes at a time when the One Nation group is flexing its muscles and putting pressure on Tory leadership candidates not to swing too far to the right.
The 60-strong group of MPs also includes Amber Rudd, George Freeman, Nicky Morgan and Damian Green. It launched a mini-manifesto on Monday espousing human rights, social responsibility and the fight against injustice.
Earlier in the week, James said she thought it would be difficult for the group to back any leadership candidate that supported a no-deal Brexit.
Michael Gove
The fortunes of the environment secretary remain hard to predict and opinion is split in the party. His detractors believe he is deeply unpopular with the country and ruined his reputation for good when he stood against Boris Johnson at the last leadership race. Most MPs were delighted by his performance in the no-confidence vote where he tore into Jeremy Corbyn. But robust Brexiters dislike the fact he has stayed loyal even in the final days of the crumbling May regime.
Matt Hancock
While the response of many voters is likely to be "Who?", to some the health secretary is starting to have the makings of a from-the-sidelines contender. The former culture secretary is only 40 but has six years of frontbench experience, and is on to his second cabinet post. The longer the race goes on the more he gains ground for the seemingly basic virtues of being apparently competent and broadly similar to a normal human being.
Jeremy Hunt
The nickname "Theresa in trousers" has stuck. Most colleagues speak about his candidacy unenthusiastically and warn about his reputation with the country after the junior doctors’ strike. He could still succeed by bridging the leave-remain divide and attracting colleagues looking for a moderate grown-up, but recently he seemed unable to outline why his brand of Conservatism might appeal to voters.
Sajid Javid
The home secretary is reported to have told Tory MPs he is the only one who can beat Corbyn in a general election, but has made less of an impact than first predicted. Several MPs believe the case of the Isis bride Shamima Begum was mishandled and find Javid’s speeches and vision less than inspiring.
Boris Johnson
Still favourite for the top job, Johnson has kept himself out of the messiest Tory warfare in 2019 and has enthusiastic support from younger Brexiter MPs – and the patronage of Jacob Rees-Mogg. His supporters insist no other name on the list can connect with voters in the same way and win a general election. However, his reputation is still severely damaged by his time as foreign secretary and there is a concerted "anyone but Boris" campaign among party colleagues.
Andrea Leadsom
Leadsom has revived her reputation somewhat during her tenure as Commons leader, especially her rounds in the ring with the Speaker, John Bercow. However, few believe she would ever be first choice again among Eurosceptics and a number of her former campaign team have said they will discourage her from running. It is yet to be seen how her resignation on the eve of the European elections will play with MPs.
Esther McVey
The former cabinet minister has already announced her intention to run. She has the Brexit credentials, having quit as work and pensions secretary in protest at Theresa May's withdrawal agreement, and claims to already have enough support from fellow MPs to make her bid viable.
Penny Mordaunt
Previously seen as a definite outsider, her promotion from international development secretary to defence after the sacking of Gavin Williamson has significantly bolstered her position. As both a confirmed Brexiter and a social liberal she could unite different camps, but she remains relatively untested.
Dominic Raab
The former Brexit secretary has a loyal fanbase and a professional team, including support from Vote Leave’s ex-comms director Paul Stephenson. MPs are forming the view that the next party leader should be a younger face from a new generation of politicians – which gives Raab the edge over Johnson.
Amber Rudd
While she has not officially ruled herself out, Rudd’s remainer tendencies and slender majority in her Hastings constituency mean the work and pensions secretary is largely being courted for who she might eventually endorse.
Liz Truss
As much for effort as inspiration. The chief secretary to the Treasury has been almost everywhere in the last few weeks – including modelling some slightly alarming trousers in the Mail on Sunday – to explain her free market, libertarian philosophy. Everyone knows what she thinks, but this will still perhaps not be enough.
And those not in the running
Among the senior figures not expected to run are Brandon Lewis, the party chairman, Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, and Philip Hammond, the chancellor, who acknowledges that he is not popular enough. Gavin Williamson’s recent sacking after the Huawei leak inquiry will also surely rule him out as an option this time around.
“I think it would be difficult for a candidate who would let the country leave without a deal to subscribe to quite a lot of those values [in the manifesto] and the policies that flow from them,” she said.
“I don’t think many candidates are going to stand up and say: ‘I think the country should leave without a deal.’
“But there are candidates who will go out of their way to make sure the country doesn’t leave without a deal and that is what we need to ensure we get out of this leadership contest.”
