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.
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.”
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.