Week of relentless Remain plotting

THE run-up to Theresa May’s Brexit speech today has been dominated by interventions from prominent Remainers.

Senior Tories believe it is a co-ordinated bid to keep Britain in the customs union and single market – or even overturn the result of the referendum altogether.

Jeremy Corbyn confirmed a Labour Uturn on Brexit on MONDAY, saying the party will back staying in a customs union. He also appealed to Tory rebels to vote with Labour to defeat the Government.

His policy was swiftly backed by the CBI. On TUESDAY former Whitehall mandarin Sir Martin Donnelly told how the economic benefits of leaving the EU will be worth no more than a ‘packet of crisps’.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer also held private talks with EU officials in Brussels. Pro-Remain sources leaked a confidential letter from Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to the Prime Minister, to discredit his views on the Irish border problem.

WEDNESDAY saw former prime minister Sir John Major urging senior Tories to join forces with the opposition and block Brexit. Lord Mandelson praised Sir John and called for a free vote in Parliament on any deal as well as a second referendum.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier published controversial plans that could force Northern Ireland to stay in the customs union – effectively breaking up the UK. George Osborne, the former chancellor, tweeted: ‘Why the synthetic Breixteer [sic] anger over EU text on Irish border?’

YESTERDAY EU Council president Donald Tusk said not joining an EU customs union would make ‘frictionless’ trade impossible. Former prime minister Tony Blair renewed his calls for a second referendum.