MP Ken Clarke Tells Eddie Mair Why Johnson's Bid For Election Is A "Donald Trump Type Campaign"
29 October 2019, 17:46 | Updated: 29 October 2019, 17:52
Former Tory MP Ken Clarke tells Eddie Mair why he thinks Boris Johnson is running a "Donald Trump type campaign" with his repeated bid for a general election.
Clarke said he'd prefer us to get on with sorting out the Brexit deal.
"This extraordinary Parliament versus people election that Boris and his entourage in Downing Street are trying to produce is just holding up a resolution of the problem again."
"I think the neat and sensible thing would be for the Parliament to complete the business of the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement from the European Union which we could do in the next week or two, and when we've got past that preliminary stage, then have a general election."
The independent MP, who had his whip removed, said the people could then elect a parliament to carry out the future, more intricate negotiations.
He called the December elections "a bit of a Dominic Cummings thing where Boris is trying to present himself as being obstructed by Parliament and they're going to run a Donald Trump type campaign."
Clarke said that listeners to Eddie Mair's show must think the political world is a "lazy outpouring of nonsense."
"What we actually need is the normal Parliamentary proceedings on a bill," he said, and then the government could decide on a long-term agreement with the EU.
"We have arguments about what day we're having an election," Clarke said, instead of sorting Brexit out.
Eddie asked about Clarke's predictions for a Tory majority and he said it's "impossible to predict."
Clarke reflected that voting behaviour is different now and not many people are voting "tribally."
After a long answer, Clarke said: "The short answer I should've given you is I think anybody who forecasts the result of this election is being extremely reckless. It entirely depends on whatever takes the agenda and grips the public at the time of the campaign."
