Leavers only happy with a no-deal: Blair
TONY Blair says he agrees with Nigel Farage that the only way Leave campaigners can get the Brexit they want is to exit the European Union without a deal.
Brexit Party leader Mr Farage wants what he dubs a “clean break” from Europe.
And former Labour Prime Minister Mr Blair has used a radio interview to back up that point of view — but warned there would be a “huge amount of economic problems” if the UK did pursue a no-deal Brexit.
Boris Johnson successfully negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the EU last week but made a number of concessions to do so, including agreeing to checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from Britain.
Mr Blair said the Prime Minister “sold out unionism” in order to agree a deal after being “bolt(ed) down” by Brussels.
“Bizarrely, though I profoundly disagree with him on whether Brexit is a good idea, actually Nigel Farage has actually produced one of the better analyses of what the problem is with Boris Johnson’s deal,” he said in an interview, due to air on talkRADIO tomorrow at 12pm.
“The problem in the end is if you really want to diverge on tax and regulation and go your own way on issues to do with trade, if you really want that the only way you’re going to get that is by doing no-deal.
“If you do a deal with Europe they’re going to bolt you down, as we’ve just seen in relation to Northern Ireland.”
Mr Blair said a fresh referenBOTH
dum, which he supports, should ask the public whether they want no-deal or to Remain an EU member.
“Ultimately, the question for the British people is do you want to do that no-deal Brexit with all, I would say, the huge amount of economic problems and difficulties that’s going to happen, or do you want to stay. That is the actual choice,” he told presenter Gavin Esler.
He added that Labour should not approve Boris Johnson’s request for a general election.