Does leak hint we’re only days off deal to seal Brexit?
CABINET ministers could sign off a new proposal to break the Brexit deadlock within days following concessions from both sides.
It came as a leaked Whitehall memo apparently revealed a plan to sell Theresa May’s eventual deal by touring the country and seeking endorsements from world leaders and business chiefs.
At a tense meeting of the Cabinet yesterday, Mrs May briefed ministers on compromise plans aimed at resolving the Northern Ireland border issue – which has dogged negotiations with Brussels.
At least seven Cabinet ministers warned the Prime Minister that the latest proposals may be a concession too far, and No 10 was last night on red alert for potential resignations.
Those raising concerns included Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Gavin Williamson, Penny Mordaunt, Chris Grayling, Liz Truss and Jeremy Hunt. Mrs May told her ministers that a deal has to be struck this month if it is going to be implemented in time for the UK’s departure from the EU in March. They were warned Parliament is scheduled to sit for just 74 days before the UK leaves the EU, with a mass of legislation still to pass.
The PM insisted this did not mean she was ready to strike a deal ‘at any cost’, and said contingency plans for a ‘no deal’ Brexit were being stepped up.
Documents leaked to the BBC last night suggest Mrs May is already behind schedule. An apparent blueprint for selling a deal suggested she had hoped to strike an agreement this week before going on a tour of the four nations of the UK to promote it.
The leaked Government communications memo suggests ministers will declare the plan a ‘historic moment’ and urge MPs to ‘put your own interests aside, put the country’s interests first and back this deal’.
But last night leading Tory Brexiteers said the public won’t be foooled by any attempt to ‘hoodwink’ them – and even suggested that Mrs May has already agreed a deal without the Cabinet’s approval. Jacob Rees-Mogg told The Daily Telegraph: ‘There are rumours a deal has been done without keeping the Cabinet properly informed. If there is an attempt to soften up and hoodwink people there will be no trust left.’ Former Brexit minister Steve Baker said: ‘ It looks like exactly the kind of back- of-the- envelope post- exit plan to sell a rubbish deal I would have expected.’
Ministers have been told to ‘stand by your diaries’ for a second Cabinet meeting to sign off the proposals, which could come as early as tomorrow. But No 10 cautioned there is still ‘significant work to do’.
One source said: ‘We are not there yet, but it does now look like there is a way through.’
The breakthrough centres on the so- called backstop proposal designed to ensure there is no return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, even if trade talks falter. Brussels initially wanted Northern Ireland kept in the customs union on its own in these circumstances – an idea that Mrs May and her Democratic Unionist Party partners have rejected.
Ministers were told yesterday that Brussels is close to accepting an alternative that could see the whole UK stay in a ‘temporary’ customs union after Brexit.
‘Put the country’s interests first’