Theresa May vows to get Britain out of the EU Customs Union as soon as possible
THERESA May has vowed to get Britain out of the EU Customs Union as quickly as possible.
She brushed off fears she has gone soft on Brexit — and told of her “absolute determination” to get out by the end of 2020.
But worried Brexiteers fear she will try to strong-arm ministers into backing a slightly tweaked version of the same deal.
The PM only needs to win over three members of her team to get it through a crunch Cabinet committee next week.
Brexit cheerleader Jacob Rees-Mogg warned: “It is nonsense to suggest we must find a compromise.
"Anything less than a total departure from the Customs Union would be a total betrayal of Brexit, the Tory manifesto and the collected speeches of the Prime Minister herself.”
Mrs May’s plan for a partnership where Britain collects EU import tariffs for Brussels was dismissed by colleagues as unworkable last week.
She went back to the drawing board but Eurosceptics fear civil servants convinced her to make just a few changes to convince wavering ministers.
Aides say she should target Home Secretary Sajid Javid, defence supremo Gavin Williamson and trade boss Liam Fox.
But one Brexit-backing colleague said: “Gavin and Saj both want to be party leader and they won’t get it if they back staying in the Customs Union by another name.”
Mrs May has drawn up a list of four demands that have to be met for a new customs arrangement to work.
It must give Britain freedom to strike trade deals with non-EU countries, maintain a frictionless Irish border and kick in by the end of 2020.
Most importantly, she believes it has to be accepted by Parliament and the EU.
MOST READ IN POLITICS
Writing exclusively in The Sun on Sunday, Mrs May tells of her “absolute determination to make a success of Brexit”.
Ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said he was told the customs partnership project was “dead”.
He warned: “If she tries to come back with a tweaked version of this all hell will break out.”
GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]