Gove ‘open’ to BoJo Canada plan
Pressure mounts on PM to strike trade deal
MICHAEL Gove last night signalled that Theresa May is under growing pressure from her Cabinet to ditch her ‘no deal is better than a bad deal’ mantra and consider a Canadastyle free trade deal with the EU if Brussels rejects her Chequers plan.
The Environment Secretary, who has been steadfastly loyal to the Prime Minister over Chequers, offered carefully worded public support for Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s stance last week that he was ‘not dismissing’ the Boris Johnson-backed Canada option.
Mr Hunt’s remarks infuriated Downing Street, which is sticking to Chequers despite the opposition of both the EU and Brexiteers.
But when asked by The Mail on Sunday about Mr Hunt’s remarks, Mr Gove said: ‘Jeremy is one of the most naturally considerate, thoughtful and polite people in politics.
‘I’m sure he would have considered his comments carefully and they would therefore have merit and should be listened to.’
Mr Gove’s intervention comes amid growing concern in the Cabinet that if Brussels continues to block Chequers – or MPs fail to approve it – then the Government will inadvertently leave the EU without a deal.
Under the Canada option, the UK would leave the Single Market and Customs Union, then strike a free trade deal with the EU.
Despite campaigning for Brexit, Mr Gove is understood to harbour deep reservations about the economic effects of ‘no deal’.
A source said: ‘There are a growing number of influential figures in the Cabinet who seized on Jeremy’s remarks as a sign that the door should be left open for a Canada-style deal if Chequers can’t be agreed. Dom [Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab], Saj [Home Secretary Sajid Javid] and Michael are the key players.’
During his interview, Mr Gove praised Mrs May as ‘incredibly resilient and focused’ in the face of attacks on Chequers by Mr Johnson, who on Friday described the plan as ‘a moral and intellectual humiliation for this country’. But Mr Gove also lauded Mr Johnson, describing him as ‘one of the most significant and attractive figures in British politics’.
Mr Hunt has subsequently backed away from his ‘not dismissing’ line, and now publicly echoes No 10’s stance that the Canada option would risk breaking up the UK by imposing a border down the Irish Sea.
EU leaders shocked Mrs May earlier this month at the Salzburg summit by rejecting Chequers, which would keep the UK aligned with Brussels rules on goods. Donald Tusk, the head of the European Council, said that it would undermine the Single Market if the UK was allowed to ‘cherry-pick’ rules.
Enough Tory MPs also object to the idea of remaining aligned to EU rules after Brexit to potentially vote down Chequers, even if Brussels removes its objections.
‘Hunt’s Canada comments have merit and should be listened to’