Boris Johnson's speech was an 'end of the pier show', says Theresa May's de facto deputy David Lidington

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Theresa May’s de facto deputy mocked Boris Johnson today as the “end of the pier show” as one of his allies savaged the Prime Minister before her keynote speech to the Tory annual rally.

Cabinet Office minister David Lidington launched a withering attack on ex-Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson after he won a standing ovation at the conference in Birmingham yesterday for laying out his rival vision of Brexit.

Amid spiralling speculation that Brexiteers are preparing to move against Mrs May over her Chequers Brexit blueprint, Mr Lidington dismissed Mr Johnson’s pitch to the Tory faithful.

“He’s always got some well-crafted lines and it’s the end of the pier show sort of event,” he jibed.

Mr Lidington challenged Mr Johnson to spell out the “price” he was prepared to pay to “chuck Chequers”, calling on him to admit how many jobs would be lost if smooth trade with the EU is lost under a “Canada-style” deal, and how much risk he was prepared to take that the union of the United Kingdom could be broken.

Appearing to belittle Mr Johnson’s ability’s as a politician, he described him as a “very talented journalist” and stressed he had been speaking at a “fringe” event at the conference, rather than on the main stage.

Mr Lidington is one of the most polite MPs at Westminster and the ferocity of his attack suggested No10 was seeking to stamp on the possibility of a revolt against Mrs May.

The Cabinet minister spoke out as one of Mr Johnson’s allies took to the airwaves to say he had “no confidence” in Mrs May delivering Brexit, claimed she was “haemorrhaging” support in Cabinet and in her party, and branded the negotiations with the EU an “absolute disaster”.

James Duddridge, the MP for Rochford and Southend, said: “Boris is a rock star. He is a vote winner, he is a leader - she is neither of these.

“What is the point of Theresa May if she is not delivering Brexit.”

Mr Duddridge revealed he had not written to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative 1922 committee of backbench MPs, calling for a change of leader.

But he insisted: “If there is a vote of no confidence she’s got to go, I personally have no confidence in her leadership over delivering Brexit.

“My support for her is wearing thin to the point of being invisible.”

It was not clear this morning whether Mr Duddridge was acting alone or if he was part of a wider plot against Mrs May which could intensify when MPs return to Westminster next week and as she faces having to make fresh concessions to the EU to get a Brexit deal within weeks.

France has been the most hardline on a future trade deal with the UK and its Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau said today: “No deal would be better than a bad deal,” Loiseau told Radio Classique station.

“A good deal is still possible, but time is running out.”

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