Timing of Boris Johnson claims are 'not an accident', says Tory Brexiteer Mark Francois
The prominent eurosceptic speaks out as the Conservative Party conference is dominated by allegations against the prime minister.
Monday 30 September 2019 19:08, UK
A prominent Tory Brexiteer has told Sky News it's "not an accident" that allegations about the prime minister's private life "are coming out now".
Mark Francois, the deputy chair of the European Research Group of Conservative eurosceptic MPs, claimed Brexit opponents "know the best way of trying to remain in the EU is to get rid of Boris Johnson".
The Conservative Party conference in Manchester has so far been dominated by claims against the prime minister.
Mr Johnson is facing a series of inquiries into his relationship to American former model turned businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri.
She is alleged to have received public money and been granted privileged access to foreign trade missions while Mr Johnson was London mayor, prompting conflict of interest claims.
Ms Arcuri has said any grants she received or any trade trips she joined were "in respect of my role as a legitimate businesswoman".
Downing Street has also dismissed an "untrue" allegation that the prime minister squeezed the thigh of journalist Charlotte Edwardes during a lunch 20 years ago.
Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mr Francois, who supported Mr Johnson for the Conservative leadership, suggested there was a correlation between the emergence of the allegations and the UK's scheduled departure from the EU in 31 days' time.
He told Sky News: "I don't think it's an accident that all of this stuff is coming out now.
"At the end of the day, the prime minister wants us to leave the EU.
"I absolutely believe that so I voted for the bloke.
"There are lots of people who don't and they know the best way of trying to remain in the EU is to get rid of Boris Johnson."
Mr Francois spoke to Sky News after taking part in a Bruges Group event on the fringes of the Conservative conference, hosted at Manchester's Comedy Store.
During the event, a journalist was booed and heckled with shouts of "shame on you" by the audience when they raised Mr Johnson's recent comments about murdered MP Jo Cox.
The prime minister had suggested the "best way" to honour Ms Cox is to "get Brexit done", as he responded to calls from Labour MPs to tone down his language over Brexit.
Referring to last week's exchanges in the House of Commons, which followed the overturning of the government's suspension of parliament by the Supreme Court, Mr Francois admitted "things did get heated".
But he suggested part of Labour MPs' anger stemmed from their fear they will not get re-elected at the next general election.
He said: "I think part of what we saw in the Labour benches was a sort of cri de coeur [complaint].
"Why? Because if you're a good constituency MP - whether you're a Labour MP, or a Tory MP, or a Liberal MP - you keep a close eye on what comes into your email inbox.
"You go out and you talk to people and you knock on doors, and you get used to the heartbeat... the biorhythm of your constituency."
He added: "I'm not saying those Labour MPs are unaware of that.
"What I am saying is they're now wary of the fact - because of the way they've acted over the last three years - many of them aren't coming back."