Boris Johnson urges ministers to throw out Theresa May’s ‘appalling’ Brexit proposals before Cabinet showdown
The Leave campaigner's powerful intervention came as it was rumoured the PM has made 'a secret Brexit deal' that would see Britain locked in a customs union
BORIS Johnson today urges ministers to throw out Theresa May's imminent Brexit deal - branding it a "stinker".
Writing in The Sun, the former Foreign Secretary warns the reported plan would keep Britain in the EU's clutches "forever".
He issued the clarion call to ministers to turn their back on Theresa May’s “appalling” Brexit proposals – one day before she faces a crunch Cabinet showdown.
The Leave campaigner’s powerful intervention came as it was rumoured the PM had made a “secret Brexit deal” that would see the whole of Britain locked in a customs union to avoid a controversial hard border in Northern Ireland.
Boris slammed the plans as a “Christmas present of the finest old Brussels fudge”.
He blasted: “Even after we leave – according to this so called deal – we will remain in a nonsensical 'implementation period' in which we will be effectively non-voting members of the EU.
“For the first time in a thousand years we will have to accept foreign made laws – with no power to change or make those laws.
“We will be a vassal state – a colony – for at least 18 months, and probably more.”
It comes ahead of a rocky week for the PM as she bids to win over wavering Cabinet colleagues tomorrow morning.
Former Brexit Secretary David Davis yesterday urged her to publish legal advice on any deal to ensure ministers and MPs understand all the implications.
But today in The Sun, Boris Johnson goes further saying a UK wide customs union would be a “national humiliation” and “wholesale subjection”.
He urged MPs and ministers to “read the small print because we are about to be trapped”.
He said: “As soon as MPs understand what is really at stake, I have no doubt that they will throw this deal out”.
Instead he said Mrs May must “junk the so-called backstop agreements that keep the UK in the customs union, and go for a proper Super Canada free trade deal”.
It came as a row grew over statistics used by Downing Street to sell her Chequers plan to ministers and MPs.
The UKSA watchdog has already reprimanded No10 on a claim that 96 per cent of goods entering the UK would not undergo customs checks under its plan for a future trading relationship with Europe.
Ex Brexit minister Steve Baker will demand an urgent question on the issue.
But Mrs May did received a fresh Brexit boost after the German ambassador declared Germany has a “vital interest in coming to an agreement”.
Peter Wittig said yesterday the deal was 90-95 per cent “resolved” as the PM faces a crunch week in order to make enough progress in the deal for a special EU summit later this month.
He told the BBC’s Marr Show: “We have resolved 90 or 95 per cent of that withdrawal agreement.
“The most intractable issue, as you know, is the Northern Irish question. The backstop. Here there is a willingness of the 27 and the Commission to show flexibility.
“We don’t want to jeopardise the peace in Northern Ireland, nor do we want to see the re-emergence of a hard border.
“But there is a political will to come to a negotiated settlement and forge a new relationship, which is to be as close as possible with Britain, and Germany has a vital interest in coming to an agreement.”
And asked if a deal was close, Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said: “Well, we want to get that deal, we’re obviously working hard to see that that happens.
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“Negotiations are still very firmly continuing, and therefore we are 95% of the way there in relation to the Withdrawal Agreement.
“Obviously still having this issue in relation to the insurance arrangements for Northern Ireland and Ireland, and that very much remains our focus and attention in getting that deal.”
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “We are not staying in the Customs Union, the Prime Minister could not have been clearer. This is categorically not the deal.”
“We are making good progress on the future relationship and 95 per cent of the Withdrawal Agreement is now settled. Negotiations are on-going.”
It emerged last night Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has privately called for a three month time limit to the Irish backstop.
It’s understood he made the demand to Irish deputy PM Simon Coveney last week in a private meeting.
£40bn bill to become an EU colony
By Boris Johnson
IT’S a deal! That’s the word from the Brexit talks.
If yesterday’s papers are right the UK government will soon be rewarded with a Christmas present of the finest old Brussels fudge.
And I can imagine that the news will be greeted with hosannas across the land.
A deal – to end the misery and tedium of these negotiations.
A deal – to allow us to take back control of our money and our borders and our laws.
A deal – and at long last we will leave the EU, and fulfil the mandate of the June 2016 referendum.
Won’t we?
Alas, my friends, we will not.
If this is indeed the deal that is to be placed before Cabinet on Tuesday, it is an absolute stinker. It means we are proposing to hand over an amazing £40billion for absolutely nothing in return.
Even after we leave – according to this so called deal – we will remain in a nonsensical “implementation period” in which we will be effectively non-voting members of the EU.
For the first time in a thousand years we will have to accept foreign made laws – with no power to change or make those laws.
We will be a vassal state – a colony – for at least 18 months, and probably more.
From social policy to the environment, from agriculture to industrial standards to immigration – when Brussels says Jump, the British answer will be, How high? And what happens if and when that national humiliation comes to an end? We will be told that the Prime Minister has listened to the arguments.
We will be told that she has “pivoted” towards a Canada style free trade deal, and abandoned her previous “Chequers” approach.
What nonsense. This political declaration about the future trade relationship is worthless.
I am afraid with Brussels you have to read the small print, and we are about to be trapped. We will be told that the UK government has triumphed, because we have avoided the risk of checks and customs controls between Britain and Northern Ireland.
We will be told that we have protected “our precious union”.
But we have done that by agreeing that the whole of the UK will remain in the EU’s customs union, and in alignment with the EU’s rulebook on goods and agriculture and much else besides. We have agreed to remain in vassalage forever. We have gone along with the claptrap that this is essential – as the only way to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
We should never have accepted this argument. It was and is in flagrant contravention of the facts.
No one – not the Irish, not the British, not the EU Commission – wants a hard border in Northern Ireland, and no one would impose one.
The whole rigmarole is designed by the EU – and those in the UK who want us to remain in the EU in all but name – in order to frustrate any future bid for independence.
It means that if ever we really wanted to do a Canada style free trade deal with Brussels, the EU would be able to say, well, that is very interesting, but if you want to have a Canada style deal you need to make sure that you solve the problem of the Irish border.
They will argue that we can’t have different rules operating in Northern Ireland and Ireland unless we have checks at the border.
And they will argue – as they have for the last year – that since no one will countenance checks on the border at Northern Ireland, that part of the United Kingdom will have to remain in the EU customs union and single market.
So we are being asked to choose between the break up of the Union – at least for economic purposes – or the subjugation of the whole country.
We are choosing wholesale subjection. We need to stop before it is too late. There is a good and viable alternative. It is to junk the so-called backstop agreements that keep the UK in the customs union, and go for a proper SuperCanada free trade deal.
Brexit was meant to be about taking back control.
Under this plan – we surrender control to Brussels.
As soon as MPs understand what is really at stake, I have no doubt that they will throw this deal out.
If we accept this appalling deal, we must realise it is forever – not just for Christmas.
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