Leader comment: Hammond is acting with integrity, others should do the same

The principled political resignation is a dying art.

Philip Hammond leaves 11 Downing Street. Picture: Getty

Too often, senior MPs and MSPs put personal ambition before all else, preferring to cling to cabinet posts than to take a stand for what they believe to be right. And so The Scotsman is rather impressed that Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced that he intends to resign on Wednesday, should Boris Johnson become the next Prime Minister. Mr Hammond has been a vocal and thoughtful critic of the sort of no deal Brexit that Mr Johnson is prepared to countenance. He believes that such an outcome would be deeply damaging to the economy. We agree with this analysis. His announcement comes just days after justice secretary David Gauke signalled that he would not serve under Mr Johnson.

Doubtless, supporters of Mr Johnson will argue that the Chancellor and the Justice Secretary are simply planning to jump before they are pushed. But the more thoughtful among the PM-in-waiting’s supporters must know in their hearts that Messrs Hammond and Gauke are acting with real integrity. It has been deeply dispiriting over recent weeks to watch Conservative MPs known to harbour grave doubts about Mr Johnson’s approach to politics fall into line behind him. Matt Hancock, for example, began his short-lived pitch for the Tory leadership promising to be the champion of a more honest and pragmatic Conservatism than that offered by Mr Johnson. Now Mr Johnson has no greater cheerleader than Mr Hancock, an MP who appears to think his presence at cabinet is so vital to the good of the nation that the betrayal of his principles is a sacrifice worth making.

One can easily lose count of the number of members of Team Johnson who have previously expressed grave concerns about his fitness to hold the highest office in the land.

Mr Johnson’s promise to deliver Brexit by October 31, come what may, is wanton in its recklessness. It is a pledge made in order to keep hardline Eurosceptics onside rather than because it is in the best interests of the UK. The Scotsman would urge all of those who are offered roles in a Johnson government to think very carefully before agreeing.

Boris Johnson may be willing to play Russian Roulette with the UK’s future but that does not oblige others to help him fill the barrel with bullets, no matter how attractive a bauble a ministerial position might be.