Five more years of migration
Cabinet Remainers’ ‘victory’ to delay UK getting borders back
‘Free flow of people’
THE Cabinet has agreed to pursue a ‘soft-landing’ transition from the EU that could see free movement continue in all but name until 2022.
A senior government source told the Daily Mail that Remainers had declared victory in their battle for a lengthy transition period, despite fears it will slow the process of taking back control of Britain’s borders.
The source claimed leading Brexiteers such as Liam Fox, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have now signed up to the idea of a substantial ‘implementation phase’ after the UK leaves in 2019, in order to give business and government time to adjust to departure from the EU. In return, Remainers such as Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd have finally accepted the idea that the UK will ultimately leave both the single market and the customs union.
The revelation about private Cabinet discussions comes days after Theresa May laid down the law about the need to maintain confidentiality following a string of damaging leaks.
Brexit Secretary David Davis has previously indicated that any transition would not last longer than two years. But this line has now been softened, opening the door to a transition that could last until 2022. Under one option, the length of the transition period would be laid down in law to prevent future backsliding.
‘The Cabinet is now united on the need for a transitional period – that wasn’t the case five weeks ago,’ the Government source said. ‘No one is bothered about the free flow of people with the EU continuing during the transition – the Brexiteers are all focused on the end point.
‘Nobody has set a time limit on the transition – it could be two years, it could be a bit longer. It needs to be driven by practicalities like getting customs arrangements in place and ensuring the needs of business are met.’
The agreement to pursue a transitional deal is a victory for Mr Hammond who has been championing the case for a phased exit from the EU for the last year.
Dr Fox, the International Trade Secretary, had argued against the idea of a transitional deal, warning it would delay the benefits of Brexit such as striking new trade deals and controlling immigration. But Dr Fox, who argued reaching a free trade deal with the EU should be easy because we already meet EU regulations, said he would not have a problem with a transitional period.
Mr Gove, a leader of the Brexit campaign, is said to have changed his mind on the issue after being appointed as Environment Secretary, where he is now grappling with the issues involved in disentangling Britain’s farming and fishing industries from 40 years of regulation by Brussels.
Brussels has already indicated it is interested in the idea of a transitional deal, which will give both sides longer to negotiate.
Business leaders met with Mrs May in Downing Street yesterday to push the Prime Minister to agree a transitional deal that will give them time to adjust their systems and staffing needs.
Last night Downing Street said Mrs May had told business leaders, who included the heads of Tesco, Unilever and BAE Systems, she wanted to avoid a ‘cliffedge’ exit from the EU.
Austria has urged Italy not to allow migrants arriving by boat to its islands to travel on to the mainland. Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian foreign minister, said Central Europe risked becoming overloaded with tens of thousands of migrants flooding in from Libya if the practice continued.