A dereliction of duty by the Government

Philip Hammond, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, told the BBC yesterday that it was “physically impossible” to leave the EU on March 29. Why is this the case? The House of Commons has voted twice by large majorities for the UK’S membership to cease on that day: when MPS triggered Article 50 and when they passed the EU Withdrawal Act.

The reason we are not leaving at the end of March is because the Government, and notably the Treasury, failed to make adequate preparations to do so, despite knowing for two years that Brexit was due to happen. Theresa May has instead insisted that the deal she has negotiated with the EU – but which parliament has twice rejected – must be passed or otherwise we stay in, either temporarily or for good.

Throughout this tortured process, the alternative to leaving with a deal was supposed to be leaving without one. Indeed, the Prime Minister has inveigled fearful Remain MPS into backing her deal by making that possibility explicit. Now she is trying to bludgeon Leave MPS into supporting it by making the opposite threat. It is hardly surprising that trust in Mrs May has evaporated, with Tory MPS openly talking about replacing her as soon as Brexit is concluded, assuming it ever is.

To say, with less than two weeks to go to the agreed date of the UK’S departure, that this is now impossible is an astonishing dereliction of duty by the Government. It was elected to deliver Brexit, not thwart it; yet it is now conniving, by design or incompetence, to do the opposite of what the voters were promised.

The argument that MPS will not support a no-deal Brexit so a delay is inevitable has only taken root because the preparations were not adequate. If the country had been ready to leave by the end of the month, as it could have been, then MPS and business would not have been so spooked.

Mrs May is due to bring her deal back for a third vote this week, if the Speaker rules this is in order. But the Chancellor said this would only happen if victory was certain. Whatever the result, it appears that an extension will be sought at the upcoming EU summit. This might involve staying in for up to two years. With the Government now ruling out leaving on the date Mrs May chose herself, Conservative MPS opposed to her deal need to ask themselves if this is not the better option. We accept letters by post, fax and email only. Please include name, address, work and home telephone numbers.

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