Business Secretary Greg Clark sparks fury by demanding we stay tied to EU customs rules until 2025

THE Business Secretary has infuriated Cabinet colleagues by demanding Britain stays tied to the EU Customs Union for another SEVEN years.

Greg Clark is part of the three-man inner Cabinet working group studying the proposed “Max Fac” customs plan but told them it would only work if it comes into force in 2025.

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The Maximum Facilitation plan would use technology to monitor goods to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland after Brexit, but critics say it won’t be ready by the end of the transition period in 2021.

Last month Theresa May ordered two of her closest allies — Mr Clark and Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley — to sit down with Brexit Secretary David Davis and “make ‘Max Fac’ work”.

The working group met on Friday morning but failed to agree when it could come into force.

The Government have pledged to stay tied to Brussels customs rules until the new border plan is ready.

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Mr Davis believes that could be within two years, but Mr Clark says it will be more than three times that.

Last week Mr Davis  has warned Tory colleagues they face an electoral oblivion if they are still tied to Brussels by the time of the next election - due in 2022.

Mrs May is said to prefer the complex New Customs Partnership idea that relies on collecting import tariffs on the EU’s behalf, but it is fiercly opposed by Brexiteers.

She set up a similar working group to hammer out the faults in the NCP, but it was abruptly cancelled this week.

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