EU chief: I can’t agree to May’s Brexit plans
They would destroy us, says Barnier
THERESA May suffered a fresh Brexit blow last night as the EU’s chief negotiator rubbished her trade plan.
Michel Barnier told a German newspaper her proposal to keep tariffs on goods roughly the same as inside the EU but put services outside it “is not practical”.
He added: “If we let the British cherrypick, that would have serious consequences: all sorts of other third countries could insist that we offer them the same deal.
“It would end the single market and the European project.”
Former Brexit Secretary David Davis – who quit over Mrs May’s plan agreed by minsters at Chequers – vowed to oppose it in any Commons vote. He told the BBC: “The Chequers deal is actually almost worse than being in.”
The Cabinet civil war deepened as Trade Secretary Liam Fox rubbished Chancellor Philip Hammond’s claims of borrowing being £80billion a year higher by 2033 under a “no-deal” Brexit.
CRISIS
Dr Fox said: “Can you think back to where the Treasury have made predictions that were correct 15 years out? I can’t, they didn’t predict the financial crisis that happened, no one could.”
Earlier, it was claimed election guru Sir Lynton Crosby has ordered allies to work with Boris Johnson to run a nationwide campaign against the PM.
He was blamed for last year’s snap election disaster, which cost the PM her majority.
A senior Tory said: “It looks like Lynton is hitting back, trying to boot out the Prime Minister. They want to get Boris in.”
But the PM’s aides have held talks with senior civil servants about whether to call an election if a Brexit deal is rejected by MPs.
The claim came as Mrs May again ruled out another Brexit vote amid mounting calls for a vote on any deal with Brussels.
A poll of 18,772 voters for today’s Women for a People’s Vote launch revealed 58% of women support a second referendum.