Boris Johnson accuses Vince Cable of 'peddling lies' over resignation rumours
1 min read
Boris Johnson has accused Vince Cable of “peddling lies” after the Liberal Democrat leader claimed the Foreign Secretary might be on the verge of resignation.
Sir Vince said he had been told by a senior Whitehall source that Mr Johnson was upset about Philip Hammond's stance on a Brexit transition period.
The Chancellor recently suggested that transitional arrangements could be in place until 2022.
That prompted a backlash from Brexiteer colleague Liam Fox, who said such decisions should be "agreed by Cabinet" rather than taken by "an individual".
Last night Sir Vince waded into the row, saying: "There is no Cabinet consensus for moderation. And the rumours of Boris Johnson being about to resign fuel the uncertainty."
That prompted a strongly worded response from Mr Johnson's spokesman.
“Vince Cable is making his stuff up and maybe he should take more time to think up some policies rather than wasting his time on peddling lies," he said.
“Boris and Philip Hammond are working closely to take the UK out of the EU and are not going to be diverted from that important task.”
