BREXIT IS GOOD NEWS FOR US ALL
Bullish May insists everyone will now benefit from our deal with Brussels
THERESA MAY last night hailed her Brexit negotiations breakthrough as “good news” for voters from both sides of the EU referendum divide.
The Prime Minister declared that everyone can be reassured by the prospect of a “smooth and orderly departure” from the EU following the agreement from Brussels to open trade talks.
In a Commons statement, she said Britain had taken a “big step” towards achieving her mission of “taking back control of our borders, money and laws once again”.
Mrs May was cheered and congratulated on her “triumph” in Brussels by Tory MPs as she faced the House for the first time since her accord with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker last Friday that ended the deadlock in the EU withdrawal negotiations.
“This is good news for people who voted Leave, who were worried we were so bogged down in tortuous negotiations it was never going to
happen. And it is good news for people who voted Remain, who were worried we were going to crash out without a deal,” Mrs May said.
Last Friday’s agreement included guaranteeing the rights of three million EU citizens to remain in the UK, a promise of no “hard border” between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic and an exit payment of up to £39billion.
She added: “We are going to leave but we are going to do so in a smooth and orderly way, securing a new, deep and special partnership with our friends while taking back control of our borders, money and laws once again.
“That is my mission, that is this government’s mission and on Friday we took a big step towards achieving it.”
After months of bitter feuding between Remain and Leave-backing ministers and Tory backbenchers, her diplomacy won virtually unanimous backing from her MPs yesterday.
Senior backbencher Iain DuncanSmith, a leading Leave campaigner, praised the PM for “driving through an improved agreement” while prounnecessary Brussels former chancellor Kenneth Clarke wanted to “congratulate the Prime Minister on her triumph last Friday”.
Former business minister Anna Soubry, a campaigner for close ties with Brussels, said there was among Tories “complete unanimity on congratulating the Prime Minister on securing this agreement”.
But one Brexit-backing Tory MP raised concerns about the £39billion divorce bill.
Backbencher Philip Davies asked: “Can the Prime Minister explain why she is paying tens of billions of pounds which are not legally due to the EU when she is continuing with a policy of austerity at home?
“My constituents simply do not understand where all this extra money comes from.”
Mrs May replied: “The offer is in the context of us achieving that agreement on that future partnership between the UK and the EU.”
She added: “We are a country that honours our commitments.”
Earlier, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was jeered by Tory MPs after suggesting Brexit be delayed.
Mr Corbyn asked whether Mrs May would “consider dropping the exit date deadline of 29 March, 2019, from the EU Withdrawal Bill?”
He added: “I’m sure the whole House and indeed I think probably the whole country, would rather get the best possible deal a little bit later, if that meant a better deal for people’s jobs and the economy.”
Mrs May hit back: “We’re leaving the EU on that date.”
Senior Tory MP William Cash, chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, called the Opposition “quite simply a national disgrace”. Mrs May also signalled the Government intends to push for the inclusion of the Brexit date in key legislation – despite a potential Tory rebellion.
She said it was important “people have the confidence of knowing the date on which we will be leaving the European Union”.
Ministers are braced for battles in Commons debates and votes today and tomorrow over that.
Meanwhile, the Government yesterday sought to avoid a major Commons revolt over concerns it could use “Henry VIII” powers in the EU (Withdrawal) Bill to make big changes, such as cutting workers’ rights, without consulting MPs.
Ministers say they want to speed up the process of amending UK laws after Brexit by using a “sifting committee” of MPs to recommend which changes come under Parliamentary scrutiny.