Jo Johnson: Why I Cannot Support The Government’s Proposed Brexit Deal

09/11/2018

Click on the image of Jo Johnson to read the Medium article

Jo Johnson is the youngest of former Conservative MEP Stanley Johnson's four children. He is the brother of Boris Johnson, the former Foreign Secretary and leader of the Vote Leave campaign; Rachel, a journalist; and Leo, an entrepreneur and filmmaker. He is therefore a member of an extremely high profile family.

Stanley was a pro-EU campaigner and, from 1979 to 1984 was an MEP. Jo has been very clearly a pro-EU politician and his decision today to resign from his positions as Minister for London and Transport Minister has been driven by his support for a 'People's Vote'. His sister Rachel is also pro-EU and actually switched from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats in the run up to the 2017 general election because of the Conservatives' support for Brexit. She had even considered standing as a Liberal Democrat candidate in the 2017 general election, but was unable to do so as she had been a party member for less than a year. Boris, who obviously lead the Vote Leave campaign, had previously been expected to come out on the side of staying within the EU. Following William Hague's resignation as Conservative leader, Johnson used The Spectator to support the candidacy of the only pro-EU figure, Kenneth Clarke. Johnson argued that Clarke was the only candidate capable of winning a general election. He is reported to have written two documents prior to announcing his position ahead of the referendum, one of which stating that remaining in the EU was the only sensible choice for the UK.

So, Jo Johnson's statement on the EU and the need for a 'People's Vote' is not a surprise, and indeed is to be welcomed. It appears to show that his own political principles are far greater than his more infamous brother.

I do hope that this is the start of Jo stepping out of his brother's shadow and that he continues to show his honesty and integrity.

Perhaps, principally because of Brexit, he will follow his sister's footsteps and switch allegiance from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats - as indeed I did during the course of 2018.

I hope that this will give more Conservative MPs the confidence to stand up for their beliefs and the interests of their constituents, making a stand for a vote on the final deal and, hopefully, the repeal of the Article 50 letter.