The ‘Lefties, Lords and luvvies who are putting Brexit at risk’
TORY Brexiteers last night accused ‘Lefties, Lords and luvvies’ of mounting a ‘dangerous’ new offensive against Britain’s historic decision to leave the EU.
Allies of Boris Johnson fear opponents of Brexit are seeking to use his vulnerability to push forward their agenda.
Sir Keir Starmer yesterday said a Labour government would axe laws giving ministers powers to unpick the UK’s agreement with the EU over trade in Northern Ireland.
It comes as a coalition of Brexit critics including former Labour minister David Miliband issue renewed calls for the country’s departure to be watered down.
Mr Miliband, the former Labour foreign secretary, who is now based in New York,
‘Opponents motivated by turning back clock’
yesterday highlighted on Twitter claims that the decision to leave is causing economic damage.
‘We need an honest debate about how to limit the damage going forward,’ he wrote.
Meanwhile Tory MP Mark Jenkinson last night criticised Remainers, declaring ‘Lefties, Lords and luvvies’ were suffering from ‘long Brexit’ as they still fail to accept the vote to leave the EU.
A senior Conservative figure warned the Prime Minister needed to ‘get a grip’ or risk Brexit being lost through the party being defeated at the next election.
‘Many opponents of Boris are motivated by turning back Brexit clock,’ they said. ‘My worry though is that if we lose the election, Brexit, at least in this form, looks vulnerable.’
The senior figure warned Tory Eurosceptics would turn on Mr Johnson if it became a choice between ‘supporting Boris or winning the next election’.
The source added: ‘Which is why he needs to get a grip and bring the party policy in line with its supporters’ wishes.’
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is due to publish legislation on Monday that would allow the Government to unilaterally override parts of the deal agreed with Brussels.
As part of Brexit negotiations, the UK and EU agreed to the so-called ‘Northern Ireland protocol’, which is designed to avoid the need for a hard border on the island of Ireland.
But this has led to disruption to goods crossing the Irish Sea, with new checks imposed on those moving to the province. Concerns have also been raised that Northern Ireland’s place within the UK is being undermined, with the Democratic Unionist Party blocking the formation of a power-sharing executive at Stormont until the issue is resolved.
The Government intends to use domestic law to reduce the checks required.
Sir Keir said yesterday Labour would vote against the Bill in the Commons and repeal it if the party comes to power.
Instead, he argued the focus
should be on achieving a negotiated settlement with the EU to resolve issues with the protocol’s implementation.
‘We would scrap the legislation and I think there has been an impasse in the negotiations because we haven’t seen the high levels of trust that we need for negotiations like this, not least from our Prime Minister,’ he said during a visit to Belfast.
‘I do not think that the remaining issues of the protocol cannot be resolved with a different approach… with an honest broker prime minister getting people around the table and negotiating what needs to be negotiated.’
Ken Clarke this week warned the Bill would be ‘seriously challenged’ in the Lords.
The Tory former chancellor said he expected a ‘very large majority’ of peers will ‘hold it up for a considerable time’.
Opponents of leaving the EU have made a series of interventions
in recent days suggesting the UK should pursue a softer Brexit. Among many was Tobias Ellwood, one of the Prime Minister’s most vocal critics on the Tory backbenches, who last week called for Britain to rejoin the EU’s single market.
The chairman of the Commons defence committee suggested the country should opt for a soft Brexit even if it means accepting the free movement of people.
But Mr Jenkinson, MP for Workington, said the narrative that Brexit must be watered down or reversed is gathering ‘at a dangerous pace’ and ‘must be guarded against’.
‘In 2016 and again in 2019 we were left without any ambiguity – the nation wanted Brexit done,’ he said.
‘Boris Johnson delivered on that promise and we continue to forge our own path.’
Fellow Tory Brendan ClarkeSmith, who represents Bassetlaw, added: ‘They are always at it and can’t let it rest. [Lord] Adonis [the Labour ex-Cabinet minister] let the cat out of the bag when he said, “If Boris goes, Brexit goes.”’