Brexit: Tory leadership hopeful Sajid Javid says 'no, no, no' to second referendum
Sajid Javid says he will work to get a deal through parliament but would be prepared to take the UK out of the EU without one.
Monday 3 June 2019 11:18, UK
Tory leadership contender Sajid Javid has ruled out a second referendum, a general election and revoking Article 50 should he win the keys to Number 10.
The home secretary is one of a dozen Conservatives vying to become the next prime minister.
Writing in the Daily Mail, he said the public had voted for Brexit "in good faith" and MPs and the government have "a duty to get on and deliver on the result".
"The voters have been asked their opinion more than enough times. Never in this country's history have we asked people to go to the polls a second time without implementing their verdict from the first," he said.
"Another vote before we leave would be disastrous for trust in politics, and cause the kind of chaos that risks handing Jeremy Corbyn and his hard-left supporters the keys to No 10.
"Some argue we should have a second referendum. Others, a general election. Some even suggest revoking Article 50.
"Well, in the words of a great British prime minister who knew how to get what she wanted from the European Commission: No, no, no."
Mr Javid said his preference would be getting a Brexit deal through parliament, but that he would be prepared to take Britain out of the EU without a deal if concessions from Brussels could not be secured.
"This isn't because I want" a no-deal Brexit, he said, "but we have to accept the reality of our situation" as the clock ticks down to the new deadline.
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Mr Javid said this would involve drawing up "a broad, bold" no-deal budget, with the aim of keeping "the impacts to a minimum".
"I would take every step possible to ensure we leave with a deal by October 31," he said, but added that his position was clear: "If we cannot get a deal, we should, with great regret, leave without one, having done everything we can to minimise disruption."
Twelve Tories have now launched a leadership bid, and other candidates could join the contest in the coming days.
As well as Javid, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and International Development Secretary Rory Stewart are among the cabinet ministers who have thrown their hats into the ring.
Former cabinet ministers including Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey - as well as current housing minister Kit Malthouse, Brexit minister James Cleverly and former Conservative chief whip Mark Harper - round off the list.