Philip Hammond To Resign As Chancellor If Boris Johnson Becomes Prime Minister

21 July 2019, 10:54 | Updated: 21 July 2019, 17:24

Philip Hammond has announced he will resign as Chancellor if Boris Johnson wins the Conservative Party leadership contest.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said he was going to resign before an opportunity for Theresa May's successor as Prime Minister to sack him.

"Assuming that Boris Johnson becomes the next prime minister, I understand that his conditions for serving in his government would include accepting a no-deal exit on the 31st October and it's not something that I could ever sign up to," he said.

"It's very important that the prime minister is able to have a chancellor who is closely aligned with him in terms of policy and I therefore intend to resign to Theresa May before she goes to the Palace to tender her own resignation on Wednesday."

It comes as Justice Secretary David Gauke says he too will quit the government if the former Foreign Secretary moves into Downing Street.

Mr Gauke, who has served in Theresa May's Cabinet since she took office in June 2016, said he would not be able to serve under Mr Johnson if he pursues a no-deal Brexit.

The Justice Secretary said: "If the test of loyalty to stay in the Cabinet is a commitment to support no-deal on October 31st - which, to be fair to him, Boris has consistently said - then that's not something I'm prepared to sign up to."I recognise that this spell in government is coming to an end.

"Given that I've been in the Cabinet since Theresa May came to power, i think the appropriate thing is for me to resign to her."

Margot James, who resigned as digital minister on Thursday, said others may quit to show their opposition to Mr Johnson's commitment to deliver Brexit 'come what may' at the end of October.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd is urging her Conservative colleagues to back whoever wins the contest - warning the alternative could be 'Corbyn for Christmas'.