Anti-Brexiteers ‘encouraging violence’

A TORY MP has said those claiming Brexit could spark a return of the Troubles in the North are ‘almost encouraging violence’.

Jacob Rees-Mogg made his comments on the same day British Labour MPs accused the UK’s Conservative government of failing to comprehend the level of concern that surrounds the Irish border question.

Hardline Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg yesterday branded warnings that Brexit could pose a threat to peace in the North as ‘cynical’. He told the House of Commons: ‘I think it’s a politically unappealing and cynical approach to suggest that violence may be a consequence of not doing what the proEuropeans want, and they should think whether that is a wise approach to take.

‘Once you start proposing violence may be a consequence of something, you’re almost encouraging violence. So, people making that argument should think very carefully about the wisdom of that argument.’

Mr Rees-Mogg – who has been tipped by some as a successor to Theresa May as prime minister – also claimed that Mrs May was ‘being generous’ to the EU by pledging to work closely with it to resolve the border issues. He said: ‘She wants to have friendly relations in the negotiations, but it’s a question of nuance and I think they’re the stickin-the-muds in this and have come up with a solution that is wholly impossible for the UK to accept – that we should take Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom.

Mr Rees-Mogg added: ‘Why don’t we suggest to them that the Republic of Ireland comes out of the Single Market and Customs Union and accepts our regulations? It’s an equally logical suggestion.’

The comments came as Labour’s shadow Brexit minister Karin Smyth accused UK ministers of failing to appreciate ‘the level of concern across the House’ on how to tackle the border question.