Philip Hammond plans to quit if Johnson becomes UK PM

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond (Photo: IANS)


British Chancellor Philip Hammond has said he intends to resign from the post if Boris Johnson becomes the UK’s next Prime Minister.

Hammond said a no-deal Brexit, something Johnson has left open as an option, was “not something I could ever sign up to”, the BBC reported.

Asked if he thought he would be sacked next week, he said he would resign on Wednesday to Theresa May.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr he intends to quit after PMQs but before May officially steps down.

Hammond said it was important the next PM and his chancellor were “closely aligned” on Brexit policy.

He said the situation “might be more complicated” if Jeremy Hunt wins the Tory leadership contest, but “all the polling” suggested Johnson would succeed.

“That is what is likely to happen, and I’m making my plans accordingly”, he said, adding he would wait until the result is announced on Tuesday to “see for sure”.