May considers extending transition period by ‘months’

Proposals to delay the UK’s final departure from the EU until 2021 have been dismissed as “a rather poor attempt at kicking the can down the road” by arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Leave-backing Cabinet ministers Michael Gove and Penny Mordaunt also signalled concern that Britain’s withdrawal from the EU should proceed swiftly.

Prime Minister Theresa May told leaders of the remaining EU member states in Brussels that she was ready to consider an extension by “a matter of months” of the transition period, which is due to stretch until December 2020.

The transition, during which the UK would remain in the single market and customs union and subject to EU rules, is intended to provide time for authorities and officials to prepare for new arrangements following the official date of Brexit in March next year.

Allowing it to be extended would provide flexibility to cover any gap until a future trade and security partnership is implemented, avoiding the need for a hard border in Ireland during this period, Mrs May suggested.

But she insisted that any delay would “only be for a matter of months”, adding: “This is not expected to be used, because we are working to ensure that we have that future relationship in place by the end of December 2020.”

The proposal sparked a fierce backlash from Brexiteers.

Mr Rees-Mogg said it risked “very substantial costs” for the UK, which would have to make additional contributions running into billions of pounds into EU budgets and would almost certainly lose its current rebate.

An extended transition period “means we are in the EU for longer when the EU can make rules for the UK over which we would have no say and we would be paying for the privilege”, the North East Somerset MP told Sky News.

“The government doesn’t have endless money,” he said.

“It has to make choices.” Mr Rees-Mogg said an extension would not break the deadlock in withdrawal negotiations, because the EU would still demand a “backstop” arrangement to keep the Irish border open.

UK officials said that Mrs May continues to regard the EU backstop, under which Northern Ireland would remain within the European customs union until a broader trade agreement was finalised, as “unacceptable”.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Environment Secretary Mr Gove said it was “vital” that Britain leaves the EU at the “earliest possible point”.

Tory MP Nadine Dorries accused Mrs May of “stalling”, and repeated her call for former Brexit secretary David Davis to replace her as leader.