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Cabinet ministers split over customs union Brexit deal with Labour
Source: The Guardian
Cabinet ministers split over customs union Brexit deal with Labour
Sceptics say it would not command majority among MPs or survive backbench changes
Jessica Elgot, Peter Walker and Heather Stewart
Wed 1 May 2019 19.20 BST Last modified on Wed 1 May 2019 20.40 BST
Cabinet ministers are bitterly divided over whether Brexit talks with Labour should broach the possibility of a customs union, with several sceptical that such a deal could even command a majority in parliament or survive hostile backbench amendments.
A senior cabinet minister suggested a deal involving a customs union could be backed by as few as 90 Tory MPs and would mean a slew of resignations from the government payroll.
It is also likely to be opposed by the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and other smaller parties, as well as dozens of Labour MPs who would only back a deal if it included a confirmatory referendum.
Concerns that a deal with a customs union would still not command a majority were publicly aired by the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, on Tuesday, one of the cabinet member’s who is most strongly opposed to a customs union. Other opponents include the international trade secretary, Liam Fox, and the Commons leader, Andrea Leadsom.
Other ministers are more optimistic, with one cabinet source saying they believed up to 160 Tory MPs would eventually back a customs union deal.
-snip-
Sceptics say it would not command majority among MPs or survive backbench changes
Jessica Elgot, Peter Walker and Heather Stewart
Wed 1 May 2019 19.20 BST Last modified on Wed 1 May 2019 20.40 BST
Cabinet ministers are bitterly divided over whether Brexit talks with Labour should broach the possibility of a customs union, with several sceptical that such a deal could even command a majority in parliament or survive hostile backbench amendments.
A senior cabinet minister suggested a deal involving a customs union could be backed by as few as 90 Tory MPs and would mean a slew of resignations from the government payroll.
It is also likely to be opposed by the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and other smaller parties, as well as dozens of Labour MPs who would only back a deal if it included a confirmatory referendum.
Concerns that a deal with a customs union would still not command a majority were publicly aired by the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, on Tuesday, one of the cabinet member’s who is most strongly opposed to a customs union. Other opponents include the international trade secretary, Liam Fox, and the Commons leader, Andrea Leadsom.
Other ministers are more optimistic, with one cabinet source saying they believed up to 160 Tory MPs would eventually back a customs union deal.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/01/cabinet-ministers-split-over-customs-union-brexit-deal-with-labour