Boris Johnson blasted over claims ‘deep state' is betraying Brexit
2 min read
Boris Johnson has been criticised for making claims about the “betrayal” of Brexit by the "deep state".
The ex-Foreign Secretary has been branded “irresponsible” for suggesting that MPs will “reap the whirlwind” if they use parliamentary process to try and halt Brexit.
Speaking to LBC, Mr Johnson also hit out at MPs seeking to halt Brexit - and warned those seeking to overturn the referendum result that they were were “playing with fire.”
He said: “I notice all this stuff about complicated jiggery-pokery for Parliament to frustrate the deal.”
"I don’t think that really can be done. I think that we are really playing with fire."
"If we think that by coming up with all kinds of complicated amendments and delaying tactics, we are going to fool the British public, we will manage to frustrate Brexit, I think we will reap the whirlwind."
The Tory MP added: "I think that people will feel betrayed. And I think they will feel that there has been a great conspiracy by the deep state of the UK, the people who really run the country, to overturn the verdict of the people."
The controversial term is often used by supporters of US President Donald Trump, who argue that influential politicians have attempted to covertly manipulate government policy.
A senior adviser to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meanwhile sparked a row last year when he suggested the "manoeuvrings of what is now called the deep state" could be behind his failure to get a security pass for Parliament nearly a year after applying.
But Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake, speaking on behalf of the pro-Remain Best for Britain campaign, slammed Mr Johnson's remarks, saying: “It serves nobody's purpose, apart from Boris Johnson’s, to pretend the UK is descending into a Homeland-style showdown between a corrupt state and doomsday preppers.
"The irresponsible ratcheting-up of the rhetoric by politicians who should know better has to stop. To resolve the UK’s constitutional and political crisis requires cool not hot heads.”
Elsewhere in his interview, Mr Johnson predicted that Theresa May’s deal would fail to win support from MPs on Tuesday, despite suggesting that Downing Street was attempting to “scare” Brexiteers with warnings that Brexit could be halted as a result of voting the plan down.
"I think that’s nonsense," he said. "Britain will leave in March, absolutely, that’s the bottom line."
The ex-Cabinet minister's comments follow a warning from Transport Secretary Chris Grayling that failure to implement Brexit could lead to a rise of extremist politics in the UK.
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