Patel tells May to capitalise on UK’s ‘strong’ Brexit position

THERESA MAY must have the “backbone and confidence” to capitalise on Britain’s “strong position” in its negotiations with the European Union, Priti Patel has suggested.

The former international development secretary, who campaigned for Leave in the 2016 referendum, insists the country has leverage in the talks over a future trade deal because “we are dynamic, competitive and growing” and Brussels “desperately needs our money” to balance its budget.

In an article for telegraph.co.uk, Ms Patel also renewed her attack on Mrs May’s Brexit blueprint, agreed by the Cabinet at Chequers last month. The proposed deal would, she says, make the UK “perpetual rule-takers”.

Last week The Sunday Telegraph disclosed that a large number of Cabinet ministers were facing a backlash from their local associations over the plan.

Ms Patel writes: “Despite the constant negative rhetoric, we are in a strong position to negotiate a positive agreement if we have the backbone and confidence to follow it through.

“We have leverage in trade as we are dynamic, competitive and growing. The day we leave we become one of the EU’s largest foreign trade markets, the destination for £350billion in goods this year.

“We have leverage in finance. London is the only true global capital market in Europe and EU companies still need to access our large liquid markets. We have leverage with the £39billion ‘divorce’ payment. The European Commission desperately needs our money to balance the budget in future years.”

The MP, who quit the Government last year over meetings she held in Israel without telling the Foreign Office, adds of the Chequers plan: “It will leave us half in and half out, still bound to EU regulations and constraints. The worst of both worlds – effectively out of Europe but still run by Europe.”