Gavin Williamson could cave into Theresa May’s Brexit demands and accept customs partnership plan that Boris Johnson labelled ‘crazy’
DEFENCE Secretary Gavin Williamson could cave into Theresa May’s Brexit demands and accept the controversial customs partnership plan that Boris Johnson has labelled “crazy”.
The Prime Minister lost a vote on her preferred policy to tie us to the EU on trade 6-5 at last week’s Brexit “war cabinet”.
But sources have suggested Mr Williamson, one of those who was against it, may be persuaded to change his mind at next week’s crunch meeting.
That could further anger Brexiteers, who have angrily rejected the plan which they say would keep us shackled to Brussels, with Jacob Rees Mogg saying it was another example of "Project Fear" taking over.
They argue it would stop Britain making independent trade agreements with the rest of the world, and could leave us subject to rules over which we have no say.
It led to an extraordinary outburst from Mr Johnson this morning, who accused the PM of betraying Brexit and is said to be fed up with her dithering.
What is Theresa May’s ‘customs partnership’ plan and why is it controversial?
THE PRIME Minister has repeatedly said the UK will leave the EU’s customs union - which allows us to sell goods tariff-free to other members - after Brexit.
But Theresa May has created anger with her plan to replace it with a so-called “customs partnership”.
It would remove the need for new customs checks at the border and would see the UK collect tariffs set by the EU customs union on goods coming into the country on behalf of Brussels.
Critics say the hybrid system would prevent us from signing our own trade deals with other countries around the world once we exit the EU, one of the main reasons people voted to leave.
The Brexiteers in the Cabinet favour a different customs option, a “maximum facilitation” scheme that would use “trusted trader” initiatives and a hi-tech system at the Irish border.
But this idea – known as “max-fac” – along with the customs partnership, have both been criticised by Brussels as potentially unworkable.
Which means despite what the Government eventually agrees on, it could be rejected in the negotiations at next month’s crunch EU summit.
The Foreign Secretary told the a customs partnership - where Britain would collect taxes on behalf of the EU - would create “a whole new web of bureaucracy”.
He said: “It’s totally untried and would make it very, very difficult to do free trade deals.
“If you have the new customs partnership you have a crazy system whereby you end up collecting tariffs on behalf of the EU at the UK frontier. That’s not taking back control of your trade policy, it’s not taking back control of your laws.
“It’s not taking back control of your borders and it’s actually not taking back control of your money either, because tariffs would get paid centrally back to Brussels.”
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But there are reports Mr Williamson could swap sides and support the PM’s plan, with those close to him saying he would do what is in the “best interests of the country”.
Mrs May is believed to be planning to present a “tweaked and rebadged” version of the same proposal at a fresh meeting on Thursday, after she refused to give up on the policy.
Over the weekend the Business Secretary Greg Clark, who is in favour of the idea, said a customs partnership is still on the table.