Hammond’s fears over ‘bull in china shop’ behaviour of the 3 Brexiteers

CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond has accused ‘aggressive’ Brexit Minister David Davis of threatening to wreck the UK’s exit from the EU by antagonising Angela Merkel.

Mr Hammond, who has warned against cutting all ties with Brussels, believes tough guy Mr Davis should be banned from negotiations with the EU – and forced to stay at Westminster to stop him meddling.

And friends of the Chancellor say he has delivered similar swipes in private at Mr Davis’s fellow Brexiteers – Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox – over ‘bull in a china shop’ tactics.

Mr Hammond is reportedly appalled by Mr Johnson’s ‘pro cake and eating it’ boast that Britain could slash immigration while retaining access to EU markets.

And he is said to want Dr Fox kept away from negotiating complex post-Brexit trade deals and told to focus on boosting exports instead.

The disclosures are the latest sign of a growing rift between the rival ‘Soft Brexit’ and ‘ Hard Brexit’ camps.

Mr Hammond, leader of the ‘Soft Brexit’ side, is alarmed by the dramatic slump in the value of the pound. He favours a deal whereby the UK would retain some access to the single market in return for limited EU immigration through curbs in its freedom-of-movement rule.

But he fears the tactics and style of the Davis, Johnson and Fox, who all favour a tougher ‘Hard Brexit’ line – could jeopardise this. All three have been rebuked by Downing Street in recent weeks after outspoken comments.

Mr Davis, renowned for his bruising style, was criticised by No10 for saying it was ‘highly improbable’ Britain would stay in the single market. Meanwhile, Mr Johnson sparked controversy with his ‘pro cake and eating policy’ and for saying Britain could be out of the EU as early as the end of 2018, while Dr Fox got into hot water for calling British businessmen ‘fat and lazy’.

Senior Tories have been taken aback by the way mild-mannered accountant Mr Hammond has taken up the mantle of trying to curb the ‘Three Brexiteers’.

One source close to the Chancellor said: ‘Davis can be very aggressive but being aggressive to Angela Merkel does not work. She responds to reasonableness.

‘Philip’s view is that Davis should have nothing to do with the negotiations. They should be done by officials until the final stages when Theresa May will take over.’

The source added witheringly: ‘Davis will be needed for votes in Westminster because of our small Commons majority. Liam’s job is to promote exports, not sign trade deals. Boris was irresponsible to talk of having his cake and eating it. If we want a deal that protects the British economy and our standards of living there will have to be a compromise. Bull in a china shop tactics won’t work.’

Mr Hammond used a trip to Washington on Friday to warn that financial markets were finally waking up to the effects of Brexit. Sterling’s value has tumbled since the referendum vote in June.

Mr Hammond said: ‘What happened this week is that the final shoe dropped, in the sense of those people still thinking maybe this was all going to go away are now taking on board that it is going to happen and we’ve seen a reaction to that.’

Many experts attributed the change in attitude to Mrs May’s Tory conference speech, which was seen as being closer to the ‘Hard Brexit’ line on immigration than Mr Hammond’s more pragmatic approach.

A source close to Mr Davis said last night: ‘It is quite wrong to say David is taking an entrenched view. His job is to inform the Cabinet of the Brexit options.’

‘He’s alarmed at the slump in the pound’