Bremoaning Tories (and Mandelson) bid to force a soft Brexit
PrO-BrUSSelS tories were attempting to exploit theresa May’s election failure last night by forcing her to back down on Brexit.
Diehard remainers seized on Mrs May’s discomfort to warn that she must now abandon plans to leave the eU’s single market.
in what appeared to be a coordinated plot to force a change of heart on Brexit, a series of high-profile conservatives hit the airwaves.
it came as former labour Minister lord Mandelson also called for a cross-party alliance to see off a hard Brexit.
Former tory ministers nicky Morgan and Anna Soubry claimed there was no longer a commons majority for leaving the eU’s single market and warned Mrs May she would have to back down. Miss Soubry, who was sacked by Mrs May last year, said: ‘i don’t think people out here in the real world actually want the hard Brexit that had been put forward and i don’t think they liked this “no deal is better than a bad deal”. People want a good deal and that may include membership of the single market, it certainly will include membership of the customs union.’
Scottish tory leader ruth Davidson also called on Mrs May to pursue a more ‘open’ Brexit. Former chancellor George Osborne urged Miss Davidson to ‘flex her muscles’ on the issue, after the Scot- tish tories’ stunning performance north of the border. He said: ‘i think there is no majority in the House of commons for a hard Brexit and if the ruth Davidsons of the party are starting to flex their muscles, in my view that is only a good thing.’
Former deputy prime minister lord Heseltine also suggested Mrs May would have to back down. He added: ‘the fact is that if the tory party doesn’t lance the boil of Brexit then you are opening the doors for corbyn’s premiership.’ the tory peer said that getting the legislation needed for Brexit through the commons and lords was now ‘self-evidently going to be a problem’.
lord Mandelson also called for MPs who backed staying in the eU to use the PM’s weakness as a way to put pressure on her to keep the UK in the single market and customs union. the former labour Minister wrote in the Mail on Sunday of a potential crossparty alliance between moderates, which could outmanoeuvre ‘ headbangers’ backing a hard Brexit.
Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon yesterday insisted Brexit strategy had not changed, saying: ‘Our view of Brexit, i don’t think has changed. We want a partnership with europe. We want an agreement that maximises our access to the single market, comes to an arrangement on immigration, continues the security cooperation we already have with europe.’
Privately, Whitehall sources acknowledge that they could face hurdles in pushing through legislation like the Great repeal Bill.