By Ben Kerrigan-
Former PM David Cameron felt “badly let down” by Theresa May during the EU referendum campaign, his former director of communications has stated in a book.
Sir Craig Oliver, a former key aide to Mr Cameron, has categorically claimed that the former home secretary, Theresa May, failed to back the Remain campaign 13 times and was regarded by some as “an enemy agent”.Oliver was sure keeping a record.
He also astonishingly claims Boris Johnson believed the Leave campaign would be “crushed”.
Both Downing Street and the foreign secretary have been silent about the claims.
The book – Unleashing Demons: The Inside Story Of Brexit – is being serialized in the Mail on Sunday.
In it, Sir Craig says David Cameron briefly considered staying on as prime minister, despite losing the referendum.
CHANGE
However, the prime minister rightfully changed his mind, as he perceived that remaining in Downing Street would have left him “being prepared for the slaughterhouse”. That was a logical conclusion because it would have been irrational for Cameron to want to preside over a system that directly contradicted his principles.
Mr Cameron went on to resign as prime minister the day following the result, eventually being replaced by Theresa May.
FENCE
Theresa May only came “off the fence” in favour of Remain after David Cameron became “visibly wound up” and gave her a lecture over the telephone.
“Amid the murder and betrayal of the campaign, one figure stayed very still at the centre of it all – Theresa May. Now she is the last one standing,” Sir Craig writes in his bombshell book.
IMPLICATION
The implication of Sir Craig’s claim is that Mr Cameron was unsure of Theresa May’s position, and felt she may have secretly favoured staying in the European Union.
The then home secretary’s “sphinx-like approach” became difficult, he added in the book, as the press were questioning which way she would jump. Sir Craig said matters finally came to a head after a newspaper warned Mr Cameron faced “last-minute opposition” from Mrs May to his deal for EU reform.
Craig then goes on to say that Mrs May was referred to dismissively by aides as “submarine May” during the campaign.
Using an abbreviation to refer to the former prime minister, he states, “later, on a train to Chippenham for a speech, DC (David Cameron) is visibly wound up by the report.
“Suddenly he picks up his mobile and calls May, asking her to make clear we have been victorious in our plan to crack down on ‘swindlers and fiddlers’ attempting to come into the UK,” he wrote. Oooh! Sharp words.
“When he hangs up he seems to think he’s made an impact. Later the home secretary issues a statement saying she believes there’s ‘the basis for a deal here.” The picture created here is that of a lacklustre support from Theresa May that is quite similar to that which Jeremy Corbyn was accused of that caused a revolt in the Labour party before his latest resounding victory yesterday, Saturday.
TURMOIL
Mr Johnson was “genuinely in turmoil” about supporting the Leave campaign and had been “flip-flopping within a matter of hours” of declaring his intention, according to the claims.
The former Mayor of London became a prominent leader of the pro-Brexit campaign.
Sir Craig writes that the day before throwing his weight behind the Leave campaign, Mr Johnson sent a text to Mr Cameron warning him that he would be campaigning for Brexit,
However, he says Mr Johnson later sent a second message suggesting he could back Remain.
‘Genuinely in turmoil’
“I ask DC what makes him so sure Boris is wobbling. He reads out some parts of the text including the phrase ‘depression is setting in’, followed by a clear sense that he’s reconsidering.
“Neither of us is left in any doubt,” he added.
“I am struck by two things: Boris is genuinely in turmoil, flip-flopping within a matter of hours; and his cavalier approach.”
Mr Johnson eventually notified me. Cameron in a final text message of his plans to back Leave just nine minutes before he publicly announced his intentions, according to Sir Craig- a fact that was in the public domain at the time. The former Mayor was a confused inner, according to Sir Craig.
CONF– USED
He writes that previous conversations with Mr Johnson convince him that the former Mayor of London was really a “confused inner”. Boris Johnson always spoke with conviction about his belief in Brexit, and told the eye of media.com at the time he was convinced Britain would be better outside the EU without the interference of EU judges on our domestic courts. Johnson also spoke passionately about a whole wide world out there, who would happily trade with Britain.
Johnson has recently expressed a desire to see Article 50 triggered sooner rather than later, even before the European Parliament elections next May. The now Foreign Secretary still expresses optimism that Brexit will create greater opportunities for the U.K. If Theresa May’s heart was private with Brexit, she eventually ended up in her perfect position.