The truth about Spreadsheet Phil’s bid to block no deal

Philip Hammond’s former top advisor has confirmed what many in Westminster have known for some time. Writing in the Guardian, ex-special advisor Poppy Trowbridge came out all guns blazing, calling Boris Johnson ‘reckless’ and accusing him of ‘mistaken posturing and trash talk’.

In the article, entitled ‘Boris Johnson talks tough but still hasn’t said what he’s doing to get a Brexit deal’, she laments the failures of May’s withdrawal agreement and writes in support of spreadsheet Phil’s bid to stave off no deal. But the Chancellor’s former SpAd also admitted the extent of Hammond-era resistance to Brexit. Responding to comments made by current PM, she writes:

‘At one point during my time in government, Johnson was secretly recorded telling a private, after-dinner, thinktank audience that “the Treasury, which is basically the heart of remain, has seized the risk – what they don’t want is friction at the borders. They don’t want any disruption.”