In, out, in out and shake it all about. The Tories have well and truly messed up big time with this. Trying to gain political advantage over Corbyn by 'leading the nation to the promised land ' whilst waving the union jack, has backfired spectacularly. They have now accepted that leave doesn't actually mean leave. But they will attempt to dress it up as 'we really are leaving' but all that will happen is that a few words will get changed to sound like something 'different', but will fork out billions more than they needed to have done to stay in the EU. The next election can't come quick enough to get rid of these incompetent buffoons.
Pro-Brexit Tory MPs concede staying in EU customs union into next decade is 'only viable option'
Verdict backed by Jacob Rees-Mogg and other leading Brexiteers – because of cabinet’s failure to agree what kind of trading and customs arrangements it wants
Staying in EU customs union into next decade likely to be 'only viable option', pro-Brexit Tory MPs agree.
Pro-
Brexit Tory MPs have agreed that staying in the
EU customs union into the next decade is likely to be the “only viable option”, in a new report.
The
cabinet’s failure to agree what kind of trading and customs arrangements it wants after the UK leaves the bloc is condemned by the Brexit Committee.
It concludes that, because neither option put forward by No 10 will be ready by the end of the
planned transition in December 2020, remaining in the customs union for longer will be inevitable.
UK legally bound to pay £39bn Brexit bill 'before EU trade deal'
Significantly, the select committee’s members include
Jacob Rees-Mogg and other leading Brexiteers – and its report is unanimous despite splits over key Brexit controversies in the past.
The committee also raises the alarm over the failure to explain how the rights of British citizens in other EU countries will be protected after Brexit.
While the Home Office had at least announced
what EU citizens in this country will need to do, other member states “don’t appear to have begun to plan”, the MPs warn.
The criticisms come after HMRC
appeared to torpedo the technology-based “max fac” proposal favoured by Brexiteers, after revealing it would cost businesses up to £20bn a year.
However,
Theresa May’s preferred “customs partnership” – which would see the UK collect EU tariffs – has also been rejected by Brussels and cannot be implemented before 2023 anyway.
Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in picture
“We are rapidly running out of time to get new trade and customs arrangements in place,” said
Hilary Benn, the committee’s Labour chairman.
“Given that ministers are indicating that neither of the two options being discussed are likely to be ready by December 2020, when the transition period ends, the UK will in all likelihood have to remain in a customs union with the EU until alternative arrangements can be put in place.”
The conclusion comes after Ms May told the EU she would
accept a so-called backstop option to avoid a hard Irish border, keeping the UK partially aligned with customs rules after 2020.
The prime minister still argues it is unlikely to be needed, but the Brexit Committee disagrees and urges No 10 to set out “any contingency plans as a matter of urgency”.
Its report concludes: “The secretary of state [
David Davis] has ruled out any extension of the customs union but, in the absence of any other plan, such an extension will be the only viable option.”
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Mr Benn stressed that the clock is ticking to agree a solution for the Irish border, saying: “The EU is expecting clarification from ministers by the time of the European Council meeting in June about how the backstop will work.
“The government needs to come forward with its proposals as soon as possible to demonstrate how an open border, with no checks and no infrastructure, can be maintained.”
The Home Office has been criticised for failing to guarantee the full rights of the 3 million EU citizens in this country and for making them pay for “settled status” after Brexit.
But Mr Benn said the situation was more alarming for British ex-pats, warning: “EU member states don’t appear to have begun to plan for or communicate how British citizens will be able to regularise their stay.
“Ministers should seek urgent clarification from other member states on this because British citizens need to know where they stand.”
