THE PHONES’ DEAL SIGNED
today, Mr Johnson directly addresses readers who may be concerned Britain would not get a clean Brexit with his deal. He said: “It’s a practical compromise that gives ground where necessary while still protecting the UK’S interests and delivering the Brexit this country voted for.
“Our proposals would get rid of the anti-democratic ‘backstop’... and it gets the UK out of the EU and its customs union, allowing us to take back control of our trade policy and do free trade deals with our friends around the world. In short, it gets Brexit done on October 31.”
One Cabinet minister has described the changes pursued by Mr Johnson as “surgical”, rather than the wholesale rewrite some hoped for. And the Prime Minister also still has to persuade some of those ministers, with several privately saying they may quit if the deal turns into “another Theresa May sell-out”. Meanwhile, senior Tories fear the only thing the Remainers’ “Surrender Act” has achieved is to “give the EU the impression it does not have to negotiate”.
A Cabinet minister said: “The Remainers need to beware what they wish for. What they have done is to make no-deal much more likely than before.”
Ministers are also satisfied that Britain is now ready for a cleanbreak, no-deal Brexit. It is understood that since Mr Johnson took over in July, more has been done to get ready for no-deal than in the previous three years.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has made it clear the NHS is now ready, while the Cabinet Office committee headed by Michael Gove believes almost all the issues have been dealt with.
“The pace has been fantastic,” said one minister. “We identify problems and decide an action right then or have a report for a decision back within a week.”