May must be wary of conceding too much

WITH the full details of the Brexit White Paper yet to emerge, it would be wrong to come to a firm judgment.

Yet even on the basis of the documents released by No 10 last night, one thing is disturbingly clear: several of Theresa May’s oft-repeated red lines are turning a distinct shade of pink.

A ‘common rulebook’ for industrial goods and agricultural products will keep Britain tied to great swathes of Brussels regulations, severely limit the opportunities for trade deals with non-EU countries, and inevitably mean some role for the European Court of Justice even if direct jurisdiction ends.

There is no avoiding the truth – these are major concessions which will stick in the craw of a great many Brexit voters. And as yesterday’s poll proves, the path which Mrs May is walking is perilous indeed, as large numbers say they could desert the Conservatives if Brexit is watered down too far.

Yes, the Mail understands the Prime Minister’s predicament. Ever since last year’s botched election, her hands have been tied by those diehard Remainers on the backbenches – and in her own Cabinet – who will stop at nothing to dilute Brexit, and would quite happily stop it entirely.

in just ten days, when the next Brexit Bills come before Parliament, they will attempt to force Britain into full membership of the customs union. So the Prime Minister may feel compelled to offer compromises in order to get Brexit through a Remain-dominated Commons.

Nevertheless, she must be wary of leading the country into a Brexit not worthy of the name. The Parliamentary ‘lock’ on future rules and regulations must leave Britain free to move away from Brussels’ suffocating tentacles.

Of course, this paper accepts the need for concessions. But there are limits. The Prime Minister must now put a rocket up our supine negotiators, who have failed to exploit our considerable leverage and the growing divisions between EU states.

And she must fulfil her pledge to step up plans for no-deal – whatever the objections from Chancellor Philip Hammond.

Rightly, Mrs May makes ending free movement a clear red line. it should go without saying that on this, the Prime Minister cannot give an inch. The backlash would rightly be immediate and brutal.