Labour’s Hilary Benn blasted over ‘negative’ and ‘flawed’ Commons report calling for a ‘soft Brexit’
Furious Tories on the Brexit Committee said the report had ignored evidence that said there was no way to take back control of immigration and laws without leaving the single market
LABOUR’s Hilary Benn was branded a "remainer in recovery" last night after a fresh demand for a Commons vote on Britain’s Brexit deal sparked a furious backlash.
A deep split erupted on the cross-party Brexit Commons group after it called for a ‘soft’ Brexit and a Parliamentary veto on the package agreed with Brussels in a new report.
The Committee – chaired by Mr Benn – also demanded zero tariffs on British or EU firms business as a result of Brexit and championed a transitional deal in the interests of stability.
It urged Theresa May to publish a full policy paper spelling out her plan for Brexit within the next month.
But furious Tories on the Committee said the report had ignored evidence from think tanks and lobby groups that said there was no way to take back control of immigration and laws without leaving the single market.
Immigration was mentioned just three times in the Committee’s 60 page report.
Brexit-backing Karl McCartney labelled the report "flawed". And he stormed that he did not accept "emotive and negative language from the Remain side" which had found its way into the report.
Peter Lilley – another of the minority of Brexiteers on the panel – told the Sun: "The majority on the committee are remainers in recovery, they’re still a little reluctant to face up to things.
"Most of our witnesses were similar."
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Former Justice Minister Dominic Raab added: "The expert witness consensus is that Britain will not stay formal members of the Single market or customs union, but aim to maintain barrier free trade.
"That is also the message we’re getting from the EU so the debate about this feels like a phoney war."
In a statement Mr Benn insisted he was not demanding the Government’s “give away its red lines” for the negotiations.
But he said: "We do want clarity on its broad aims given the significance and complexity of the negotiating task.
"Whatever deal is concluded, Parliament must be given a vote on it and the Government should make this clear now."
Last night, Change Britain chair Gisela Stuart - a Labour MP - urged politicians to "understand the need to get on with delivering" Brexit.
She stormed: "There are sensible practical arrangements that can be made in favour of negotiating a transitional deal to give businesses time to prepare as leave the EU.
"However any such arrangements must be time limited and must not be used by those who refuse to accept the referendum result to keep the UK in the EU by the back door."