Stephen Crabb: State-educated Tory takes swipe at Old Etonian rival Boris Johnson as he launches leadership bid

29 June 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Tory leadership contender Stephen Crabb today took aim at Eton-educated Boris Johnson, arguing for a society where it does not matter “what kind of school you went to”.

The cabinet minister took a further veiled swipe at Mr Johnson, saying Welsh rugby taught him to “take hold” of the ball instead of waiting for it to “pop out” from the scrum.

The comment parodied leadership favourite Mr Johnson’s previous claim he might like to be Prime Minister “if the ball came loose” from the scrum.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mr Crabb, who backed Remain in the referendum, also committed himself to Brexit. But he promised to set up an “advisory council” with the London Mayor and First Ministers of devolved assemblies to guide the process.

Mr Crabb, state-educated and raised on a council estate, said: “I believe in a society where it should not matter where you were born, what kind of school you went to, what street you grew up on, or what your mum or dad did for a living.

“A society that provides a fairer set of opportunities for all.”

Some Tory MPs are concerned over how having another leader who went to Eton would sit with voters.

Speaking at the Royal Society of Arts, Mr Crabb positioned himself as the champion of blue-collar Conservatism by saying he is “blessed” to have had the upbringing he did.

He added: “I was brought up to believe that I was better than no one, and no one was better than me.

“I was brought up to believe that no one is a self-made man or woman. We are all shaped and formed by our families and communities.

“And I was brought up to understand that nothing gets handed to you on a plate.”

His biggest dig at Mr Johnson centred on the ex-Mayor’s comment about his Downing Street ambitions. Asked in 2013 if he wanted to be PM, Mr Johnson said: “Obviously, if the ball came loose from the back of a scrum, which it won’t, it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at.”

Delivering a stinging response, Mr Crabb said: “On the rainy rugby fields of West Wales I learned that it’s not a question of just waiting for the ball to pop out from the back of the scrum. You go in there and you do what it takes to get hold of it.”

Mr Crabb’s supporters say he has the backing of 25-plus MPs so far including ministers Sajid Javid and Jeremy Wright and MPs Alun Cairns, Chloe Smith and Johnny Mercer. He has already signalled that if he wins the contest then Business Secretary Javid will be the new Chancellor.

Speaking on BBC Radio this morning, Mr Javid also sought to allay Tory grassroot concern about his backing for Remain. He said: “There is no distinction any more between whether someone was a Brexiteer or a Remainer. In some ways we are all Brexiteers now.

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