Deal is a Turkey trap, Hunt warns PM
Foreign Secretary’s concerns revealed in leaked details of crucial Cabinet meeting
JEREMY HUNT has warned Theresa May that her Brexit deal could see Britain fall into a “Turkey trap” and will be voted down by Parliament unless it is changed, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
The Foreign Secretary warned the Prime Minister that she risked consigning the nation to a fate similar to that of Turkey, which has been stuck in negotiations over its status with the EU for 31 years.
He is one of six Cabinet ministers who have raised serious concerns about the scale of the Tory rebellion, with Mr Hunt suggesting that 66 Tory MPS could vote against Mrs May’s deal.
Also criticising the deal was Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, who said it could leave the UK unable to strike free trade deals after Brexit.
The Daily Telegraph today provides a detailed account of last week’s Cabinet meeting which led to the resignation of two ministers and took Mrs May’s premiership to the brink. The account has been verified by more than a dozen ministers and government sources.
The Prime Minister’s hopes of sealing her Brexit deal in Brussels on Sunday were dealt a significant blow last night as she failed to finalise terms during a meeting with Jean-claude Juncker, the European Commission president.
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and other diplomats warned that this weekend’s Brexit summit, where Mrs May was expected to seal the deal with Brussels, was at risk of being cancelled amid divisions over security, fishing, trade and Gibraltar. The terms of the deal have met with opposition from Spain, France and Germany.
Mrs May will return to Brussels on Saturday in an attempt to move negotiations forward.
Mrs May yesterday insisted her deal was the only viable choice. She indicated that a no-deal Brexit was no longer an option, with the only alternative to her deal being to stay in the EU.
The official minutes of last week’s Cabinet meeting, which were circulated in Whitehall yesterday, have been marked highly sensitive, with the names of ministers redacted. But The Telegraph can reveal the strength of feeling against the deal from within Cabinet after conversations with more than a dozen ministers, Whitehall sources and other officials about the meeting.
Mr Hunt’s concerns about the deal were shared by Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Andrea Leadsom, Gavin Williamson, Chris Grayling and Penny Mordaunt.
During the meeting Mr Hunt warned that the customs backstop, which will keep Britain in a customs union with the EU, risked becoming a “front stop”.
He argued that the Government needed to ensure there were “incentives” to avoid the risk of the UK becoming indefinitely trapped in the backstop and reduced to a “satellite” of the EU. He compared the backstop to a “Turkey trap”.
His concerns were shared by Mr Gove, the Environment Secretary, who 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 warned that the EU could try to keep the UK in the backstop and use it as a “baseline” for the future relationship, adding that he worried “very much” that the Government would lose the meaningful vote in the Commons.
However, he also warned that a nodeal Brexit would be “very difficult” to get through Parliament, and ultimately gave the Prime Minister his support.
Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, said it was an “ugly sister of a deal”, comparing it to “two oil drums lashed together in a plastic sail” – but ultimately he gave it his support.
Ms Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, took issue with Mr Cox’s analogy. “Rather than going into the open sea, as Geoffrey said, we’re going to be in a paddling pool,” she said.
Ms Leadsom, the Leader of the Commons, warned that the deal could cause the DUP to end its confidence and supply agreement with the Government. Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, said he feared a no-deal Brexit would “destroy” the party’s reputation for economic competence for a generation and cost the party at the polls.
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said he would prefer extending the transition period to entering the backstop. However, he said he had been told by his permanent secretary that the Government could not guarantee people would get the medicine they need ed in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
He said, however, it would be wrong to send the deal back to Brussels for renegotiation. “We’re not Wallonia,” he said in reference to the small Belgian regional parliament which held up the EU’S trade deal with Canada.
HMRC yesterday said that the customs backstop might not be ready in time for the end of the transition period in 2020 and could take another nine months to set up.
1 Esther Mcvey, Work and Pensions Secretary Warned that there would be chaos after the Government lost the meaningful vote and said she could see “lots of trouble on the way”. Asked “why are we doing this now?” and “how bad does the deal have to be” before it is rejected? Demanded a free vote. Cabinet Secretary and Mrs May refused. 2
Matt Hancock, Health Secretary Broadly supportive of the deal. Said that extending the implementation period would be better than going into the backstop, but warned that his permanent secretary could not guarantee that people would get the medicine they needed in the event of no deal. “It would be wrong to send the deal back to Brussels for renegotiation. We’re not Wallonia,” he said. Quoted Benjamin Franklin on the US constitution: “I agree with it, with all its faults.” 3
Theresa May, The Prime Minister Concluded by thanking Cabinet members for their honesty and said this was the “final decision”. Summed up the concerns but said there was a clear majority for her deal. Mrs May earlier responded to concerns about a regulatory border in the Irish Sea by saying that checks would be carried out in a “laissez-faire” way. 4 Philip Hammond, Chancellor The Chancellor said “we have made gains” and supported the Prime Minister’s deal. He indicated that a more “economically optimal outcome” would not be acceptable for Leave voters. 5
David Gauke, Justice Secretary Issued a stark warning that if Cabinet did not support the deal that evening, the Prime Minister’s authority would “collapse”. He said that he had to support it. 6
James Brokenshire, Housing Secretary Told the PM to follow her judgment, stressing to colleagues that under the deal free movement would end and that we would not pay any money. 7 Chris Grayling, Transport Secretary The Eurosceptic minister warned the deal would struggle in Parliament and could lead to the end of the agreement with the DUP. 8
David Mundell, Scotland Secretary Said he wanted reassurances that we would leave the Common Fisheries Policy, but said he would support the deal.
9
Jeremy Wright, Culture Secretary Gave his support to the deal. Said if David Cameron had secured it “we would have said yes”. 10 Liz Truss, chief secretary to the Treasury Said the Government was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea without an easy choice to make. The focus now needed to be on winning the support of colleagues, she said, with more focus on the “end state” rather than the backstop and the process.
11
Julian Smith, Chief Whip Was confident the Government could get the deal through the Commons. Acknowledged it was not perfect but said it delivered on the referendum. 12
Claire Perry, Energy Minister Said the deal was in the national interest, that it ended free movement and paying money to Brussels. Said she could not support no deal. 13 Andrea Leadsom, Leader of the Commons Said she wanted to support the Prime Minister but there was a “bad narrative already” and said the deal would “play into it”. Questioned “whether we are actually leaving” and warned it could lead to a no-confidence vote in the Prime Minister. 14
Penny Mordaunt, International Development Secretary Warned that rather than going on the open sea, as Geoffrey Cox said, the deal would leave the UK in a “paddling pool”. Warned the deal could be defeated in the Commons and called for free vote. Demanded accurate Cabinet minutes so that people’s positions were on the record. 15
Greg Clark, Business Secretary Painted a “blunt and lurid picture” of a no-deal Brexit and said there was no majority in the Commons for it. He warned that a no-deal Brexit would destroy the party’s reputation for economic competence for a generation and lead to a Labour government.
16
Dominic Raab, Brexit Secretary Warned that the Government could not win in the meaningful vote in the House of Commons because the proposals on offer were unacceptable. He also raised concerns about new concessions in the future arrangement, asking: “Who licensed this?” 17
Jeremy Hunt, Foreign Secretary Warned that the Uk-wide backstop had become a “front stop” that would leave Britain in a “Turkey trap”. He warned that he knew 66 people “who will vote against”.
18 Sajid Javid, Home Secretary Backed Mr Hunt, warning that the deal may not get through the vote in the Commons and could leave the UK unable to strike free trade deals with other countries after Brexit. Urged the Prime Minister to negotiate for better terms. 19
Gavin Williamson, Defence Secretary Warned the deal must not lead to the “fracturing” of the Union or the creation of a border in the Irish Sea. Raised concerns about the Government’s ability to get the deal through the Commons.
20
Liam Fox, International Trade Secretary Raised concerns that Britain may not leave the EU on time and warned of the risk that the deal would “tie our hands” as Britain tried to strike free trade deals. 21
Michael Gove, Environment Secretary Mr Gove said that he was normally an optimist, having grown up as a Conservative in Scotland, but said that he was worried to see the Uk-wide backstop being described as a swimming pool, with Northern Ireland in at the deep end. He warned that a no-deal Brexit was likely to be “very difficult” as the Government could find itself having to explain to people that they would lose their jobs. He gave the deal his backing “with a heavy heart” because the alternatives, he said, would be so much worse. 22
Karen Bradley, Northern Ireland Secretary One of the most supportive ministers. She said that the Government had to “accept and celebrate the wins” and she described the backstop as a “bridge to a future deal”, adding that it was not a “long-term” option. 23
Geoffrey Cox, Attorney General Said it was an “ugly sister of a deal”, comparing it to “two oil drums lashed together in a plastic sail”. But added: “We don’t have a choice.”