Chequed May? Chequers Or No Deal Position Angers Tories
U.K’s Prime Minister Theresa May has earned the ire of the Tories when she said that there is no alternative to her Chequers plan other than exiting EU with no deal.
Critics from the right of the Conservative party responded by saying that her policy risks a “car crash”.
Despite barrage of objections from hardline Brexiters, the Prime Minister is confidently set on getting the Chequers deal up and running whereby an agreement would be reached with UK to sign up for a “common rulebook” for food and goods.
During her interview on BBC’s One’s Panorama with Nick Robinson, May expressed confidence in her planned negotiations with the European Union (EU):
“I believe we will get a good deal. We will bring that back from the EU negotiations and put that to parliament. I think that the alternative to that will be not having a deal.
“The European Union had basically put two offers on the table. Either the UK stays in the single market and the customs union – effectively in the EU – that would have betrayed the vote of the British people
“Or, on the other side, a basic free trade agreement but carving Northern Ireland out and effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the European Union and Great Britain out. That would have broken up the United Kingdom, or could have broken up the United Kingdom. Both of those were unacceptable to the UK.”
However, Tory MPs in the pro-hard Brexit European Research Group (ERG) voiced their objections straightaway.
Steve Baker said he agreed with Telegraph’s columnist Boris Johnson opinion that the UK should instead aim for a Canada-style free trade agreement.
He also agreed with Johnson’s statement “if the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash.”
The ERG chairman, Jacob-Rees Mogg echoed Baker’s views and said “May was taking a sort of Dirty Harry option … it’s come on, punk, make my day, how many shots have been fired? If you make the wrong choice the consequences can be unpleasant.”
Rees-Mogg warned that May would find out there was “very little support” for Chequers if she pushes it.
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