Burns burns Soubry

Oh dear. This week Boris Johnson will give a speech intended to unite the country over Brexit – and, most importantly, reassure Remain voters that Brexit Britain is a country that can and will reflect liberal values.

Offering a trailer for the speech on Westminster Hour was the Foreign Secretary’s PPS Conor Burns. Speaking to Carolyn Quinn, the Conservative MP hailed BoJo the man to restore ‘hope and optimism’ in the country. Only he stopped short of saying Johnson’s optimism would be enough to win over chief Conservative Remainer Anna Soubry.

CQ: Mr Johnson’s big Brexit speech is billed as an appeal for unity on Valentines’ Day. Restoring love between Remainers and Leavers – even Jacob Rees-Mogg and Anna Soubry do you think?

CB: Restoring hope and optimism. Look if pessimism were a disease, Boris Johnson would be immune. He thinks that we made a decision as a country – the country were told whatever the result would be we were going to abide by it.