Conservative leadership contender Liam Fox today demanded “Brexit for grown-ups” as he blasted colleagues Boris Johnson and Michael Gove for their “Oxford Union politics”.
The former defence secretary said the fallout from Justice Secretary Mr Gove's last-minute decision to join the race is a distraction at a time when the country is facing huge change.
Mr Gove ended Mr Johnson's hopes of entering Number 10 when he made the shock announcement he would challenge his Brexit ally in the contest, sparking accusations of treachery.
Dr Fox told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We are now 10 weeks away from having a new prime minister, we're in the process of electing a prime minister who will actually take us out of the European Union, and yet we seem to be permanently distracted by what can only be described as the politics of the Oxford Union in recent days."
He added: "I think it was a distraction, we need Brexit for grown-ups and we need to be talking about the big issues.
"We need to be talking about our aims, our trading positions, what our security relationship will be, also what domestic changes we will have to make. How will we have to restructure our Government?
"How will we have to change Whitehall? We'll have to introduce for example a department of trade."
Turning to his Brexit negotiation proposals, the Leave campaigner criticised the EU's top trade official Cecilia Malmstrom after she told the BBC's Newsnight programme the UK cannot begin trade talks with the bloc until after it has left.
Dr Fox warned that the EU Commission needs to take a "sensible approach", describing Ms Malmstrom's comments as the most "bizarre and stupid position" which would harm all EU countries.
Dr Fox will stand against Theresa May, Mr Gove, Stephen Crabb and Andrea Leadsom in his bid to succeed David Cameron.
Tory MPs will select two candidates before party members vote for their preferred choice ahead of an announcement in September.
Additional reporting by PA
