Western Daily Press (Saturday)
FOX BACKS PM’S DEAL
“WE are not elected to do what we want; we were elected to do what is in the national interest” – International Trade Minister Dr Liam Fox has called for unity among political peers after giving his backing to the proposed EU withdrawal agreement.
The North Somerset MP also voiced his support for Prime Minister Theresa May after giving a talk to small business leaders from the South West at an event in Bristol yesterday.
Dr Fox commented on the 585-page EU divorce agreement, published on Wednesday, which has so far led to the resignations of two of his fellow cabinet members, Dominic Raab and Esther McVey.
To see him were more than a dozen members of the broadcast and written press, who waited for the end of his 15-minute speech before questioning him on Brexit.
He told reporters:
■ He had full confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May
■ An EU deal is better than no deal
■ He was to remain in his Cabinet role.
He said: “We came to a collective decision. As you know, we had more than five hours discussion on this.
“It is no secret where I come from in this debate, but the question is what in real negotiation is possible to achieve.”
He added: “I support the Prime Minster.
“I think she has had a very difficult time, it is a Parliament where she does not have an overall majority, it is an Parliament in which she is delivering a Brexit vote in a Parliament that the majority of those [there] voted to remain.
“Always a difficult backdrop. But one thing I would never doubt is that the Prime Minster believes that it is her mission to act in the national interest.”
Speaking about the resignations of Mr Raab and Ms McVey, Dr Fox said he was “sorry”, but added it was time to move forward.
“I can understand the reasons they have given and I respect it, and I miss them both very much around the Cabinet table,” he said.
“I think this is a time we have to take a deep breath, we have to think about what is in the national interest and it is a big process.
“As the Prime Minister says, she shares many of the reservations that have been put out there.
“But ultimately the question is can we get a deal in the national interest, can we deliver Brexit?”
He added: “I think the most dangerous thing of all would be if we were not able to deliver Brexit.”
And on his own job in the Cabinet, he said: “I’m in a job I like and look forward to staying in it as long as the PM will have me.”
I think the most dangerous thing of all would be if we were not able to deliver Brexit
DR LIAM FOX