Norway deal? No way says May as she rules out Plan B

THERESA May yesterday ruled out Cabinet demands for a “Plan B” alternative Brexit that could keep the UK in the single market forever.

Senior ministers, led by Chancellor Philip Hammond, are urging the Prime Minister to draw up a fallback option in case her agreement with Brussels is rejected in a crunch Commons vote next month, Whitehall sources suggested.

In the event of a defeat, they want her to return to Brussels with a proposal for the UK to remain in the European Economic Area (EEA) trade zone, adopting a similar relationship Norway has with the EU.

A leaked document yesterday showed Treasury officials have been modelling the possible economic benefits of staying in the EEA compared with leaving under Mrs May’s deal, or without a deal.

Plan B supporters insist a majority could be built in the Commons for the so-called “Norway option”, that would see Britain formally quit the EU while continuing to abide by single market regulations.

Reports yesterday said Mr Hammond had discussed the Norway idea with colleagues in recent weeks, but allies insisted the Chancellor was fully behind Mrs May’s plan.

Mrs May said the Plan B would mean Britain staying signed up to EU free movement border rules, failing to deliver on the spirit of the 2016 EU referendum vote.

Asked at a Brussels news conference to rule out British membership of the EEA, she said: “I’m clear we have negotiated the best possible deal available and crucially it is a deal that delivers on the vote.”

Important

Mrs May said she felt a duty to ensure Brexit delivered an end to EU free movement in the UK.

She said: “I think this is so important to me. People voted for Brexit and I believe there is a sense of duty for politicians who asked them to make that choice to then deliver on that choice.

“This is a deal that delivers that because people want to see an end to free movement, they want to see an end to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, they want to see an end to those vast sums of money given to the EU every year – and that’s what this deal delivers for them.”

Brexit minister Lord Callanan denied claims that the Government would push for a different deal with Brussels if the Commons rejects Mrs May’s agreement.

He told Radio 4’s The World This Weekend: “There is no Plan B. This is the plan, this is the deal.

“It is the best deal that could be negotiated under the circumstances and we will be urging all of our colleagues in the House of Commons to vote for it.”

He said if it was rejected, “the EU have made it very clear there is no alternative deal that could be envisaged, so therefore we are in no-deal territory”.

Plan B supporters are understood to be arguing that staying in the single market would mean Standing firm...DUP leader Arlene Foster