Government has been hit with a £97 MILLION bill for Brexit preparations from consultants, new figures reveal

  • Consultant bill for Brexit preparations topped £97million, figures revealed
  • Figures showed £65million was spent on consultants in the year to April 2019 
  • But the National Audit Office estimated the total costs from Brexit-related consultancy to be 50 per cent higher

The Government bill for Brexit preparations from consultants has topped £97million, the National Audit Office has revealed.

Cabinet Office figures showed £65million was spent on consultants in the year to April 2019 but the watchdog estimated the total costs from Brexit-related consultancy to be 50 per cent higher. 

Its investigation uncovered an additional £32million bill up to April this year.

Auditor General Sir Amyas Morse said there was ‘little oversight’ of expenditure on Brexit-related consultancy before April 2018.

The Government bill for Brexit preparations from consultants has topped £97million, the National Audit Office has revealed (stock image)

Party bosses warn against easy coronation for Boris

Tory grandees yesterday warned the party will not accept the coronation of Boris Johnson as leader without a proper contest.

They revealed candidates to succeed Theresa May have been warned not to pull out of the race if they reach the final two places. Under party rules, MPs are responsible for whittling down the candidates to two.

Tory members then choose the winner in a nationwide ballot.

But Mrs May was elected unopposed in 2016. Michael Howard became leader in a ‘coronation’ in 2003. 

Tory grandees yesterday warned the party will not accept the coronation of Boris Johnson as leader without a proper contest

Charles Walker, of the 1922 Committee, which polices the contest, said: ‘There is recognition across the parliamentary party that this does need to go to the membership this time.’

Last night, a poll by CTF Partners in the Daily Telegraph found six in ten voters who back the Brexit Party or Ukip would vote Tory if Mr Johnson became prime minister – making him the best-placed candidate to see off both Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn.

  • A new premier will be in place before MPs break up for the summer – meaning he or she is likely to face an immediate vote to prove they can command the confidence of the Commons.

Javid blasts his hardline rivals in leadership battle 

Sajid Javid took a swipe at his rival candidates last night, condemning Boris Johnson as ‘not serious’ and Dominic Raab’s plans as ‘rubbish’

Sajid Javid took a swipe at his rival candidates last night, condemning Boris Johnson as ‘not serious’ and Dominic Raab’s plans as ‘rubbish’.

The Home Secretary, in his most outspoken intervention so far in the contest, warned that the Tories were at a crossroads and would have to choose between division and unity.

He attacked Mr Johnson’s remarks that women who wear burqas look like letterboxes, saying they were ‘wrong’, adding: ‘I don’t think any serious politician should use language like this.’

On Brexit, he said: ‘My policy would be to do everything I can to leave the European Union on October 31 and if it got to a point where I have to choose between No Deal and no Brexit, I would choose No Deal.’ But he dismissed Mr Raab’s plan to suspend Parliament to force through a No Deal Brexit in October.

He said it was ‘democracy that you allow your Parliament to do its job, so I’m not into this proroguing rubbish. I think it’s a complete nonsense and anti-democratic and anti-British.’

Mr Javid was seen as an early favourite in the contest, but has lagged behind in recent weeks.

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