Philip Hammond says Boris Johnson has no power to expel him from the Conservative Party over Brexit and has threatened “the fight of a lifetime” to save it from “entryists”.
The former chancellor condemned the “incomers and entryists” – led by Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s key aide – who were turning the party into “a narrow faction”.
And he poured scorn on Mr Johnson’s claim to be able to strike a fresh Brexit deal, saying: “There is no progress. There are no substantive negotiations going on.”
Mr Hammond also predicted victory for the rebels seeking to pass legislation to block a no-deal departure, adding: “There will be enough people for us to get this over the line.”
Local Tories in his Runnymede and Weybridge constituency have already reselected Mr Hammond – even with Mr Johnson’s threat to strip the party whip from him and other rebels.
Asked if No 10 had the power to reverse that decision, the leading Conservative rebel said: “I don’t believe they do and there would certainly be the fight of a lifetime if they tried to.”
That fight could “possibly” be taken the courts, he said, insisting he would not be joining some anti-Johnson Tories who had decided “enough, I’m going”.
“That is not going to be my approach. This is my party. I have been a member of this party for 45 years,” Mr Hammond said.
In a clear swipe at Mr Cummings, the former Vote Leave chief, he said: “I am going to defend my party against incomers, entryists, who are trying to turn it from a broad church to narrow faction.
“People who are at the heart of this government, who are probably not even members of the Conservative Party, who care nothing about the future of the Conservative Party.”
In an explosive interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Hammond – who was sacked in July – accused Mr Johnson of misleading the public by denying he wanted a snap election.
“Prime minister Johnson has always intended that there will be an election, despite what he says,” the former chancellor said.
But he urged Jeremy Corbyn to step back from giving the government the votes to trigger the election until legislation to block a no-deal Brexit was nailed down.
“Once the election is called, and parliament is dissolved, the prime minister has control over the election date,” Mr Hammond warned. “He can change the election date by proclamation.”
