ROW ON BREXIT CONTINUES AS PM PUBLISHES WHITE PAPER

Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday released more details of her controversial Brexit plan announced to her cabinet, which had led to two resignations, as Tory critics insisted she must drop the plan or face a challenge to her leadership.

May’s plan envisages continued economic and trade links with the European Union, which is strongly opposed by fervent Brexiteers, who demand a complete break. Senior Conservative MP Iain Duncan-Smith said he voted to “leave’ the EU, ‘not halfleave’.” London’s latest position includes‘harmonisationwithEU rules’, a ‘common rulebook’ and ‘facilitated customs arrangement’, which is seen as elements of a ‘soft Brexit’, but meets most of the demands of British companies that seek continued close links with the EU after Brexit.

At the same time the white paper was released, an ‘alternative white paper’ was leaked to a Conservative Party website, which does not have these elements. It was prepared by the Department for Exiting the EU until recently led by David Davis, who resigned in the aftermath of the ‘Chequers agreement’.

Mentioning the need to be pragmatic in negotiations with Brussels, which needs to agree to the contents of the white paper, May said: “We are an outwardfacing, trading nation; we have a dynamic, innovative economy; and we live by common values of openness, the rule of law, and tolerance of others”.

Details of immigration arrangements for EU citizens remain to be set out in detail.

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