Rachel Johnson 'confirms' she has joined the Lib Dems as husband says they 'agree for the first time in 25 years'
Reports that Rachel Johnson had joined the Liberal Democrats appear to have been confirmed by a tweet from her husband Ivo Dawnay.
Miss Johnson, whose brother Boris is Foreign Secretary and whose other brother Jo is Conservative MP for Orpington, is believed to have become a member of the Lib Dems because of Brexit. And the vote to leave the European Union appears to have brought her and her husband closer together - at least politically.
Ivo Dawnay tweeted: "It's been 25 years since my wife @Rachelsjohnson agreed on anything - but then Brexit. I joined the LibDems 6 weeks ago. Why haven't you?"
it's been 25 years since my wife @Rachelsjohnson agreed on anything - but then Brexit. I joined t LibDems 6 weeks ago. Why haven't you?
— Ivo Dawnay (@IvoDawnay) April 27, 2017
He posted this message hours after reports came out that his wife had joined the Liberal Democrats - and Johnson retweeted it from her account, appearing to endorse the message.
Many have said that Johnson's apparent switch to the Lib Dems - she was last a member of the Conservative Party - will infuriate her brother Boris, who some thought was instrumental in securing the vote for Brexit.
Wonder if @BorisJohnson thinks his sister is a mugwump over this https://t.co/hISjWDj0SZ
— Cathy Newman (@cathynewman) April 27, 2017
Rachel Johnson Boris' sister joins the Libdems to help block the Brexit her brother brought about. https://t.co/W9L4uduckH
— oliver king (@oliverjamesking) April 27, 2017
Wow. Boris' sister Rachel Johnson joins Lib Dems to block Brexit https://t.co/yuGERnJGHZ via @cathynewman
— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) April 27, 2017
Unlike her brother, the columnist was a vocal supporter of the Remain campaign.
She has always maintained that despite her differences with the Conservative party, she votes for it out of "duty".
In her column last year, Ms Johnson wrote: "In general elections I have voted nothing but Tory, and since I have two brothers standing as MPs for the party, it’s sort of a matter of family duty."
My weepy Brexit column (went down like a bucket of cold sick) https://t.co/ouR2aB1eQZ
— Rachel Johnson (@RachelSJohnson) June 26, 2016
The Lib Dems have declined to confirm her membership, because of data protection rules.
Despite reportedly calling Nick Clegg about the possibility of standing as an MP, it is unlikely she will be able to stand as a candidate, as Lib Dem rules state one must have been a member for at least a year.
Jonathan Powell, candidly speaking truth to... blearrrghhh on Brexit https://t.co/vbEE3lWdXU
— Rachel Johnson (@RachelSJohnson) January 4, 2017
However, they could support her as an independent candidate by not standing another against her.
If she stood, her house is near the constituencies of Yeovil and Bath.