John Major says Boris Johnson is far too 'dangerous' to stay on as 'caretaker' PM

Guardian:

Boris Johnson resigns as John Major warns he must not stay as caretaker prime minister – live

Former prime minister says it would be ‘unwise’ to let Johnson hang on until the autumn

John Major says Johnson should not stay in office until autumn because cabinet would not restrain him

Sir John Major, the former Conservative prime minister, has intervened in the debate about how long Boris Johnson should be allowed to remain in Downing Street. In a letter to Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee, Major says it would be “unwise” to let Johnson hang on until the autumn. He says:

The proposal for the prime minister to remain in office - for up to three months - having lost the support of his cabinet, his government and his parliamentary party is unwise, and may be unsustainable.

In such a circumstance, the prime minister maintains the patronage and, of even greater concern, the power to make decisions which power of will affect the lives of those within all four nations of the United Kingdom and further afield. Some will argue that his new cabinet will restrain him. I merely note that his previous cabinet did not - or could not - do so.

For the overall wellbeing of the country, Mr Johnson should not remain in Downing Street - when he is unable to command the confidence of the House of Commons - for any longer than necessary to effect the smooth transition of government.

Major says he can see two possible solutions. One would be for Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister, to take over as acting prime minister until a new party leader is elected. The other would be for the rules to be changed so that only MPs elect the party leader (the system that used to be in place until William Hague changed the rules). Major says MPs could choose a leader who could then be endorsed by party members.

Major accepts that neither solution is ideal. But he says with so many critical issues facing the country “an imaginative response - even at the risk of some bruised feelings within the party - is most definitely in the public interest”.

Major has had low regard for Johnson ever since the 1990s, when as a Telegraph journalist Johnson frequently caused trouble for the government Major led, and since Brexit he has often criticised Johnson in withering terms.