Jeremy Hunt has spent the last two years attempting to position himself as the next leader of the Conservative Party. Today he has declared war on Brexiteers, and indeed his government’s own official policy, by ridiculously claiming that Putin is the only winner in the event of a WTO Brexit:

Excellent discussion with German Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas about the unintended geopolitical consequences of No Deal. Only person rejoicing would be Putin…

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) July 23, 2018

It shouldn’t be forgotten that in the days after the referendum, Hunt demanded that the UK stays in the single market, seeks a Norway-style ultra-soft Brexit -even softer than the Chequers fudge – and then called for a second referendum on the deal. Hunt wrote at the time:

“The first part of the plan must be clarity that we will remain in the single market… the British Government needs to calm markets and many worried investors and businesses, both locally and internationally, by making it clear that it is an explicit national objective to remain in the single market even as we leave the institutions of the EU… we need to negotiate a deal and put it to the British people, either in a referendum or through the Conservative manifesto at a fresh general election… they need to put a “Norway plus” deal on the table.”

Hunt is a big Remainer, it’s no surprise he wants to undermine Brexiteers and the government’s official position that they could walk away in the event of a bad deal from Brussels. Good luck with the leadership bid.