18 July
Dear Boris Johnson,
It is with huge regret that I am writing to let you know that I no longer have confidence in your leadership of our country, Government or Party and am writing formally to Sir Graham Brady to register my support for a change of Conservative Party leadership.
I do this with a very heavy heart. Our country is facing a series of crises and needs strong leadership, and needs Ministers focused on delivering strong and effective government to deliver the priorities for which we won a massive majority only 30 months ago. I backed you then and since because of your commitment to make Brexit an inspiring moment of national renewal - of our economy, Parliamentary sovereignty and our place in the world - in the One Nation Conservative tradition on which you stood.
As you know I believe very deeply that our science, research, technology, and innovation sector is KEY to unlocking sustainable growth, levelling up and strengthening the UK's role in the world as a Science & Technology superpower tackling global challenges. For the last six months I have tried to put my responsibilities as Minister of the Crown to this vital mission first and give you the benefit of the doubt over the media storm over “Pactygate””
But I'm afraid the culmination of your lack of transparency and candour with Parliament (and willingness to ask your Ministers to mislead Parliament), your removal of key pillars of the Ministerial code, your handling of your appointment of a Deputy Chief Whip who it turns out you knew had a history of sexual abuse allegations, is too much. This is seriously damaging public trust and respect for government, democracy and the law, and this great Party's long tradition as the party of standards, character, conduct, integrity and duty to office and country before partisan self-interest.
Your leadership, the chaos in No10, breakdown of Cabinet collective responsibility and collapse of public confidence in government represents a constitutional crisis. It is also now seriously undermining our authority in key negotiations on the world stage at a time of urgent international crises.
Nowhere more than in the vital areas of science, research, technology & innovation where as Minister for our £32billion budget of UK & international science & technology we need to resolve our membership of the flagship of the Horizon, Copernicus & Euratom programmes and make serious reforms to establish global UK leadership as a Science Superpower, as I set out at the recent G7 Science Summit and have reflected in the R+D MoUs I have negotiated with Israel, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, New Zealand and Japan.
It has been a great honour to serve my country, crown and the Conservative party in Government. I am particularly proud of the work I have been able to do as first UK Minister for Life Science, Minister of State for the Future of Transport, Chair of the Conservative Policy Forum and now Minister for Science, Research and Innovation helping secure our historic uplift to science investment, establishing ARIA, leading the UK commercial space sector and leading our international science negotiations. But the chaos in your Cabinet & No10 this month is destroying our credibility. It can’t go on.
George Freeman
George Freeman