Split overshadows security plan:

MINISTERS WILL set out their hopes for future co-operation with Europe on security today amid the ongoing fallout from Boris Johnson’s attempt to seize the Brexit agenda.

The Government will put forward ideas for how Britain and EU countries could continue to work together on crime and counter-terrorism in the latest of its papers designed to shape the Brexit talks.

But it is likely to be overshadowed by the Cabinet split exposed by the Foreign Secretary’s 4,000 word article on his Brexit vision published over the weekend.

His intervention prompted barely-disguised criticism from Home Secretary Amber Rudd who suggested the article amounted to “backseat driving”.

Damian Green, Theresa May’s effective deputy in his role as First Minister, sought to play down the impact of Mr Johnson’s contribution.

Asked if the Foreign Secretary was facing the sack, Mr Green said: “No, he isn’t and the reason is, he, like the rest of the Cabinet, like the Prime Minister, is all about wanting to get the best deal for the British people.”

Mr Green suggested “people should calm down” after a “weekend of excitement” and said he did not think there was anything surprising in the article and insisted it did not contradict Mrs May’s last major speech on Brexit.”

Mrs May is due to speak in Florence on Friday on Brexit in a speech apparently designed to try to move the talks with Brussels forward and Mr Green insisted European leaders would welcome what she has to say.

He suggested Mrs May would offer more details of British proposals for a transition period while the UK leaves the EU and the payments which could be offered to the Brussels budget during that time.

Mr Green said the Government would be proposing a treaty on security co-operation with Europe.

He said: “We want to continue co-operating as closely as we have, perhaps even more closely, with our European friends and neighbours on security and counter-terrorism.”

Mr Green said the Government wanted the UK to remain part of Europol which would involve paying part of its budget.

Yorkshire peer Lord Kirkhope, a former Home Office Minister and until recently Conservative home affairs spokesman in the European Parliament, welcomed the Government’s move.

He said: “I welcome the fact that the Government recognises the vital need to keep a close relationship post Brexit with our European colleagues in the intelligence agencies and police forces.

“It is a relationship which has developed so comprehensively that as of now, we have the ability to exchange information about terrorists and potential terrorist threats to the UK as well as to Europe as a whole and between our police forces many of whom have adopted and shared best practice from the UK.

“A number of terrorist attacks both here and elsewhere in Europe have been prevented as a direct result of the closeness of our arrangements.”

Lord Kirkhope said retaining security co-operation would require agreeing rules for sharing information.

He said: “As members of the EU that provides enough challenges already, but they are challenges that we have expended much energy on achieving.

“The aspirations declared by the Government today are worthy but securing such arrangements is likely to be very difficult.”