Who is Rory Stewart and what is his stance on Brexit? Tory MP joins the leadership race to become the new Prime Minster
TORY MP Rory Stewart has become an internet sensation after Theresa May resigned as PM.
But who is he and what is his stance on Brexit? Here’s what we know.
Who is Rory Stewart?
Rory Stewart was born on January 3, 1973, in British Hong Kong.
He has served as Tory MP for Pennith and The Border since 2010.
He is married to Shoshana Clark and they have one son named Alexander Wolf Stewart.
From 2016 to 2018, Stewart served as Minister of State at the Department for International Development and Minister of State for Africa.
In January 2018 he was appointed Minister of State for Prisons.
Under David Cameron’s administration he was a Minister of the Environment.
Following Gavin Williamson’s dismissal from the Government, Mr Stewart took Penny Mordaunt’s Cabinet seat in the Department for International Development when she was made Defence Secretary.
Did Mr Stewart announce his leadership bid?
Mr Stewart told the BBC’s Political Thinking with Nick Robinson podcast that he believes he could “help bring the country together”.
He said he intended to stand for the Conservative leadership once Theresa May steps down.
What are Mr Stewart’s views on Brexit?
Mr Stewart backed Remain during the 2016 Referendum.
At the time he said he fully respected the result and said: “The decision was made, and we should be energetic and optimistic [about it].”
Since the Withdrawal Agreement was made public, Mr Stewart has supported the PM’s Brexit deal.
He has said many times he wanted “to reach out to Remain voters as well to bring this country together again”.
He told the BBC on May 25 that leaving the EU with No Deal on October 31 would be “damaging and dishonest”.
The ex-diplomat said he would use his skills negotiating in war-torn Iraq and Kosovo to finally settle the political row.
He told Sky News: “I will lock Tory MPs up all through their summer recess, for six or seven hours a day with mediators in the room talking through these issues.
“There is a majority in Parliament against No Deal – we know that.
“There is a majority in Parliament against a second referendum – we know that. So we can get to a deal.”
What did he say about Boris Johnson?
Mr Stewart said he could not serve under a Boris Government if the former Foreign Secretary wins the Tory leadership race.
said: “I could not serve in a government whose policy was to push this country into a no-deal Brexit.
“I could not serve with Boris Johnson. I spoke to Boris, I suppose, about two weeks ago about this and I thought at the time he had assured me that he wouldn’t push for a No Deal Brexit.
“So, we had a conversation about 20, 25 minutes and I left the room reassured by him that he wouldn’t do this. But, it now seems that he is coming out for a No Deal Brexit.”
The International Development Secretary then tweeted: “The star name will not always be the best choice. There may be times when Jiminy Cricket would make a better leader than Pinocchio.”
What is his Twitter presence?
Mr Stewart made headlines after tweeting about how he’s hit the streets to talk to everyday people about issues that concern them.
He spent a few days in London before heading to Wigan and then Warrington.
Every time he would tweet his exact location and invite people to chat with him.
He would also tweet an image or video of the person who he spoke with.
Mr Stewart has more than 87,000 followers on Twitter.
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