UK at risk of ‘sleepwalking’ into STAYING in the EU, warns Brexit Secretary
BRITAIN is at risk of “sleepwalking” into staying in the EU, the Brexit Secretary warned last night.
Steve Barclay fears a further extension may not be granted by the EU, which could leave MPs pulling the plug on Brexit.
He is braced for fury from Remainer Cabinet colleagues when he presents proposals in the next fortnight for ramping up No Deal exit planning.
He said: “The message from Brussels is clear — if Britain has not left the EU by October 31, we will be faced with a stark choice: a No Deal Brexit or no Brexit at all.
“We are at real risk of sleepwalking into remaining in the EU.
"That is why I believe it would be inexcusable for the Government to not use the coming months to continue to prepare for No Deal.”
Mr Barclay insists PM Theresa May has been advised to accelerate No Deal planning as a key negotiating tactic ahead of the October deadline.
But he fears the Commons will vote to revoke the UK’s departure rather than accept No Deal.
'DEADLOCK MEANS STARK CHOICE'
He said: “Every MP is now faced with a tough choice — vote for a deal or head towards a showdown in October where we may lose Brexit together. The EU will decide for us.
“If we don’t roll up our shirt sleeves and pass the deal, we risk them losing patience and refusing any more time.”
The PM’s top team and Labour figures are meeting tomorrow to discuss the customs arrangement, workers’ rights and environment protections.
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If a compromise is struck, Mrs May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will then meet.
But Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, predicts deadlock, saying: “I suspect [the talks] will peter out without having come to any significant conclusion.”
In response to Donald Tusk — Steve Barclay
This week EU Chief Donald Tusk put the chances of Brexit being cancelled at 30 percent.
And senior French figures were warning they don’t want to extend Article 50 repeatedly.
Perhaps they have a point.
Three years on from the referendum, politicians should have got us out by now.
Having voted at every opportunity to leave, I deeply regret that has not happened yet.
The message from Brussels is clear – if Britain has not left the EU by 31 October we will be faced with a stark choice: a no deal Brexit or no Brexit at all. We are at real risk of sleepwalking into remaining in the EU.
And the reality is - it won’t be in Parliament’s gift to extend the time further.
The EU will decide it for us. If we don't roll up our shirt sleeves and get on and pass the deal we risk the EU understandably losing patience and refusing any further time.
And if MPs could not decide over the last year, what purpose would it be anyway after so much Parliamentary indecision.
The legal default position is that if we haven’t agreed a deal with the EU by October 31 then we leave without one.
That is why I believe that it would be inexcusable for the Government to not use the coming months to continue to prepare for the real risk we leave the EU without a deal.
But nor should we be blind to the reality we face in the House of Commons.
If the House is faced with leaving the EU without a deal or revoking Article 50, I believe it’s possible that the majority of MPs would choose to vote to revoke and betray the will of more than 17 million voters.
Make no mistake - to my last breath I will fight that possibility. It will have a devastating impact on voters’ trust in politicians and it will take many years for the public to ever believe in their votes being respected again.
So every MP is now faced with a tough choice – vote for a deal to leave the EU, or head towards a showdown in October where we may lose Brexit altogether.
It’s no good MPs saying they won't approve a no deal anymore - it's not their choice other than cancelling Brexit entirely.
We have a historic duty to deliver on that vote in 2016. Most MPs promised to do so.
And in a week when English football saw two of its greatest European triumphs, we should have confidence in our ability to win in the world. It is not too late to do so.
The country is now facing a gaping goal on delivering Brexit.
It is up to MPs to put the ball in the back of the net.
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