Boris urges calm over customs union deal

May should be given ‘time and space’, says Foreign Secretary as he warns of need for freedom on trade

BORIS JOHNSON has told Eurosceptic Tory MPS to give the Prime Minister “time and space” to deliver Brexit but warned she must not betray the country by keeping Britain in the customs union. During a visit to Peru, the Foreign Secretary said that Britain must be free to do “unhindered” trade deals as soon as the UK leaves the European Union in March 2019.

He said that an Irish backstop, which would tie Britain to the customs union beyond 2021 if no solution to the Irish border issue can be found, must only be used as a last resort.

The Cabinet remains bitterly divided over future customs arrangements with the EU, despite weeks of talks.

Earlier this month Mr Johnson described the Prime Minister’s plan for a post-brexit customs partnership with the European Union as “crazy”. He is also understood to have raised concerns about the Irish backstop plan.

In a thinly veiled warning, he piled pressure on the Prime Minister and urged her to deliver what she has to promised on Brexit.

He said: “I’m convinced that the Prime Minister will be true to her promises of a Brexit deal that sees Britain will come out of the customs union and single market, have borders as frictionless as possible, reject ECJ interference, controls immigration and free to conduct unhindered free trade deals across the world.”

However, he urged his pro-brexit colleagues to keep calm, saying: “Brexiteers fearing betrayal over the customs backstop must understand that the Prime Minister has been very clear that neither option [the UK or EU version] is an outcome we desire – we want a deal with the EU and she will deliver it. We must now give the Prime Minister time and space to negotiate this Brexit vision.”

Mr Johnson made the demand as he began a trip to South America to drum up support for future trade deals in Peru, Argentina and Chile. Speaking in Peru at the start of the week-long tour, he admitted that the UK had “totally neglected” the region and described Britain’s current share of trade to Latin America as “absolutely woeful”.

Mr Johnson said: “Already during my time in South America I’ve been bowled over by the optimism and excitement from nations keen to forge deeper ties and new trading relationships with the UK. These are growing economies. Peru is growing by about five per cent a year. There are big opportunities here. Make no mistake, we will be ready to take advantage of these opportunities when we leave the EU.”

Mr Johnson also hailed a “new chapter” in Britain’s relationship with Argentina after Brexit as he attended a wreath-laying ceremony in the country to honour those who died on both sides of the Falklands conflict.

The Foreign Secretary said links between the two sides had “come a long way” in recent years, and highlighted the opportunities Brexit provides.