Agreement could leave us in a trap like Turkey, says Hunt

THERESA May’s Brexit deal could put Britain in a ‘Turkey trap’ – mired in talks for years, Jeremy Hunt has warned.

The Foreign Secretary told last week’s crucial Cabinet meeting that Turkey had been negotiating with the EU for 31 years – and Britain risked the same. He said the ‘backstop’ that will keep Britain in a customs union with the EU could become a ‘front stop’.

And he called for ‘incentives’ to avoid the status of a satellite of the EU.

In the meeting, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said the proposed agreement could leave the UK unable to strike trade deals. And Environment Secretary Michael Gove said he was ‘worried’ that under the backstop Northern Ireland would be left in the ‘deep end’ and tied more closely to the customs union and single market.

He claimed the EU could try to keep the UK in the backstop and use it as the basis for future relations.

Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, said the agreement was an ‘ugly sister of a deal’ – or like ‘two oil drums lashed together in a plastic sail’ – but he also gave his support. Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary said: ‘Rather than going into the open sea, as Geoffrey said, we’re going to be in a paddling pool.’

Andrea Leadsom, Leader of the Commons, warned the DUP could suspend cooperation with the Government.