Ruth Davidson takes aim at 'ideological puritan' Boris Johnson and backs PM over Brexit
2 min read
Ruth Davidson will take a fresh swipe at Boris Johnson today as she urges the warring Tory party to rally round Theresa May's Brexit blueprint.
In a thinly-veiled attack, the Scottish Conservative leader will take aim at the "ivory-towered schemes of the ideological puritan" and hail the Prime Minister's "pragmatic" approach.
Her comments, in a speech to the Tory conference in Birmingham, come in the wake of calls by Mr Johnson for a "super Canada" free trade deal between the UK and EU, and for a bridge to be built between Britain and Northern Ireland.
The former Foreign Secretary, who will deliver his own conference speech at an eagerly-anticipated fringe event on Tuesday, has called on Mrs May to ditch the Brexit blueprint agreed at Chequers and which led to his resignation from the Cabinet.
But Ms Davidson, a darling of her party's Remain-supporting wing, will say the Tories must "go back to our Conservative principles" as the Brexit negotiations reach crunch point.
She will say: "The principles of country, of duty, of practicality and of delivery. The belief that every prudent act is based on accommodation and accord. That the best is the enemy of the good if it stops us improving the outcomes for the country.
"The attitude that listens, eyebrows raised, to ivory-towered schemes of the ideological puritan and replies: 'aye, right'.
"It’s this practical, pragmatic and utterly Conservative approach that will get us through. Because, when the future of our country is at stake, it is essential.
"Here’s the truth: We can agree a Brexit deal under the Conservatives, or we can risk handing the keys of Downing Street to Jeremy Corbyn.
"I know which one I believe is in the national interest. I stand by the Prime Minister."
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