Mogg’s Brexiteers lay down red lines for PM

EUROSCEPTIC MPS have set out their “red lines” for Brexit in a letter to Theresa May that makes clear what she must do to retain their loyalty.

The European Research Group of 62 Conservative Brexiteers, led by Jacob Rees-mogg, insists that the UK must retain “full regulatory autonomy” after it leaves the EU and must be free to sign trade agreements with other countries during the transition period.

The letter, signed by four ex-cabinet ministers and nine other former ministers, is the most public intervention to date by the ERG group, without whose support Mrs May is unable to govern.

It was sent to her last Friday, less than a week before a crucial meeting with members of the Cabinet Brexit sub-committee, which will agree the Government’s policy on Brexit in greater detail than ever before.

Containing six specific demands, the letter is designed to tilt the argument in favour of a harder Brexit.

It offers support to Mrs May by saying that “only a Conservative Government led by you” can deliver what the group of MPS wants. However, the let- ter contains an implicit warning that she cannot take their support for granted if she fails.

The signatories say Britain “must have the ability to change British laws and rules once we leave, rather than being a ‘rule taker’ without any substantive say in whatever Brussels decides”. They also say that “the UK must be free to start its own trade negotiations immediately” and that “any implementation period must not restrain the UK from negotiating or signing

other trade agreements”. The other three demands relate to taking control of trade tariffs, publishing a global trade mandate and being able to negotiate with the EU as an equal partner.

Among those who signed the letter are Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader; Priti Patel, who was until last year the international trade secretary; Owen Paterson, the former Northern Ireland secretary; and John Redwood, the former Welsh secretary.

They offer their “continued, strong backing for the clear vision of an internationally-engaged, free-trading, global Britain which you laid out at Lancaster House [in January 2017]”, adding: “We also want to share some suggestions about how it could be achieved.”

The letter is hand-signed by John Penrose, a former minister under David Cameron, who voted to remain in the EU, but is now part of the ERG.

Tomorrow Mrs May will take her 11-strong Brexit Cabinet committee to Chequers, her official country residence, where they will spend eight hours trying to agree the Government’s position on the Brexit “end state”.

David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, said yesterday that the ministers were unlikely to reach a “final answer” by the end of their “lock in” session.

Mrs May hopes the leaders of the other 27 EU countries will sign a withdrawal agreement and agree to the terms of the transition period at the next European Council meeting next month.

The Government then hopes to agree the terms of a trade deal by the end of October.