May’s Brexit showdown
PM faces critics in Cabinet meeting over draft deal
After months of stalled talks, false starts and setbacks, negotiators from Britain and the European Union have struck a proposed divorce deal to provide for Britain’s smooth exit from the bloc.
But the agreement faced major political hurdles starting this morning, when British Prime Minister Theresa May faced a crunch Cabinet meeting to try to win approval for a deal many ministers view with scepticism.
May held one-to-one briefings with ministers on the plans yesterday.
Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told BBC’s Newsnight that he was so unhappy with the agreement that he could withdraw his backing for May.
The BBC also reported that some Cabinet members had “deep reservations” about the deal.
The British Government confirmed that the negotiating teams had reached a draft agreement and the Cabinet would hold a special meeting this morning to consider the proposal. Its support wasn’t guaranteed: May is under pressure from pro-Brexit ministers not to make further concessions to the EU on the key issue of the Irish border.
A spokesman for chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier urged caution, saying a deal wasn’t yet finalised and the bloc would “take stock” today.
Ambassadors from the 27 other EU countries were also due to hold a meeting in Brussels today.
Britain wants to seal a deal soon, so that Parliament has time to vote on it before Britain leaves the bloc on March 29.
The European Parliament also has to approve any agreement, as do all 28 EU nations.
Officials have said for weeks that agreement on divorce terms and a framework for future Britain-EU relations was 95 per cent complete, and for several days negotiators have been meeting late into the night in Brussels in a bid to close the remaining gaps.
The main obstacle has long been how to ensure there are no customs posts or other checks along the border between Britain’s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland after Brexit.
Britain and the EU agree that there must be no barriers that could disrupt businesses and residents on either side of the border and undermine Northern Ireland’s hard-won peace process — but they have differed on how to achieve that.
Irish national broadcaster RTE said the draft agreement involves a common customs arrangement for Britain and the EU, to eliminate the need for border checks, with special provisions for Northern Ireland and a review mechanism to oversee its functioning.
A sticking point in talks has been Britain’s insistence that any such customs arrangement must be temporary. The EU says that in order to guarantee an open border, it can’t have a time limit. But May faces pressure from pro-Brexit Cabinet members and lawmakers not to agree to an arrangement that binds Britain to EU trade rules indefinitely.
Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a staunch “Brexiteer”, said the deal was unacceptable and Cabinet ministers should “chuck it out”.
Rees-Mogg told Newsnight that the deal was “not what we were promised”, saying he could find it “very hard to carry on supporting” May.
The BBC reported that former Brexit Secretary David Davis said: “Cabinet and all Conservative MPs should stand up, be counted and say no to this capitulation.”
May also faces growing opposition from pro-EU lawmakers, who say her proposed Brexit deal is worse than the status quo and the British public should get a new vote on whether to leave or to stay.
Opposition from both sides of the Brexit divide means May could struggle to get a deal approved by Parliament.
May’s Conservative Party doesn’t hold a majority of seats in the House of Commons, and relies on 10 lawmakers from Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party to win votes. The DUP is wary of any border compromise that could bind Northern Ireland to the EU.
The EU said Tuesday it was proposing visa-free travel for British citizens on short trips, even if there is no deal — but only if Britain reciprocates.
Cabinet and all Conservative MPs should stand up, be counted and say no to this capitulation. David Davis