Fox bites back on Brexit
CABINET Brexiteer Liam Fox yesterday challenged Philip Hammond’s plans to give EU citizens freedom to enter Britain for three years after Brexit.
Hammond said on Friday there was a “broad acceptance” for a three-year transition period after we leave the EU in March 2019.
The Chancellor signalled free movement of labour would continue during that time.
He also spoke of “many arrangements remaining very similar to how they were the day before we exited the European Union”.
But International Trade Secretary Fox said: “Control of our borders was one of the elements we wanted in the referendum, and unregulated free movement would not keep faith with that decision.”
In a clear swipe at the Chancellor, he said “transitional arrangements can’t just be made by an individual or any group within the Cabinet.”
Other Tory Brexiteers also turned on the Chancellor over his bid to use Theresa May’s holiday to bounce the Cabinet into accepting a softer Brexit.
Former Brexit minister David Jones said: “All this agitation by the Chancellor and his allies is hugely discourteous to Mrs May and undermines her authority.”
But Tory remainer Sir Nicholas Soames praised Hammond for his “carefully thought-out” Brexit plan.
He added: “Dr Fox’s comments, directly contradicting the Chancellor over a transitional agreement on Brexit, show all the signs of a Cabinet in a state of civil war.”