Brexiteers claim Theresa May’s Northern Ireland plans would cause ‘Hotel California Brexit’ where we would never really leave

BREXITEERS are claiming Theresa May's Northern Ireland plans would cause a “Hotel California Brexit” where we would never really leave Brussels control.

A note sent to members of the “Brexit war cabinet” sparked anger this morning after it set out the terms of the Prime Minister’s so-called “back-stop” solution – without a firm end date to when we would escape EU rules.

It led to comparisons with the lyrics to the famous Eagles song, which says of the eponymous hotel: “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!”

A source who was aware of the document’s contents told the : “This paper would mean the EU would be arbiters of when Britain has arrived at new customs arrangements such that the backstop would end.

“That could leave us in servitude until Brussels decides we are ready - in a Hotel California Brexit where you can check out but never leave.”

The “back-stop” option was agreed at last December’s EU summit to try and break the deadlock over the Irish border issue.

It would mean Britain stayed “fully aligned” with existing trade regulations after the transition period, preventing us from striking deals of our own.

It would only be used in the event the Government is unable to agree a preferred solution for Northern Ireland.

But many pro-Brexit MPs were unhappy with the plan, and only agreed to it on the basis it was time-limited.

However it appears the document merely says that the backstop will "only be in place until the future customs arrangement can be introduced".

This has put the PM at odds with Boris Johnson and David Davis, who stoked pressure on her by insisting the back-stop must have an explicit end point.

Speaking after a speech in London today, the he Brexit Secretary said the PM had “made public we expect to put a time limit on the backstop proposal”.

And he failed to rule out resigning over the issue, saying when asked if he would step down over the lack of an end date: “That is a question for the Prime Minister to be honest.”

Ahead of a meeting of the “war cabinet” sub-committee tomorrow Mr Davis said: "The detail of this is being discussed at the moment.

"It has been through one Cabinet committee, it is going to another one and it would be improper of me to pre-empt the negotiation there, but I suspect it will be fairly decisive tomorrow."

Mr Davis added: "On time limits, I think the Prime Minister has already made public the fact that we expect to put a time limit on the backstop proposal."

Asked if the proposals would be released tomorrow, the minister replied: "It's for a Cabinet committee to decide on that, and if they conclude then you will see it tomorrow.

“But it's up to them to decide."

The row comes just three weeks before a crunch EU Council summit, where the UK hopes it can finally out the Irish issue to bed and move on to negotiations on future trade with Brussels.