‘Another month has passed, and yet again I am writing on the Cabinet’s failure to agree amongst themselves on what kind of Brexit deal they want. It is all well and good for the likes of Rees-Mogg and Liam Fox to blame the EU, but when the Government can’t even agree a negotiating position with itself the EU negotiators, like the rest of us, can only stand by and watch and wait. An EU diplomat has been quoted as saying “90% of the energy never leaves London” on the Article 50 negotiations. At this point the EU would give welcoming signals to any small sign of progress from the UK Government.
The latest Cabinet fall out occurred over customs arrangements, and it has shockingly transpired that Cabinet ministers are only now putting evidence together for its two options, despite putting out an official position paper on the issue last year. Just last week it came to light that the Prime Minister’s preferred way forward of a ‘Customs Partnership’ would cost UK businesses £20 billion a year!
It is quite likely that in years to come we will see a Chilcot-esque inquiry into the debacle that Brexit has become, including on specific incidents like this. Ministers have been totally negligent in ruling out options (such as a Customs Union) for reasons of pure ideology – and it is the British people and our economy that will end up paying the price for this Government’s failures.
To add to these cabinet failings, the Government is trying to force the Commons to consider all 200 Lords amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill on two days next week, including 15 amendments that the Government were defeated on. The decisions that will be taken by MPs are extremely significant – particularly on setting up a Customs Union with the EU, remaining in large parts of the Single Market, and crucially strengthening the say that MPs get at the end of the process – it is shocking that the Prime Minister is attempting to ride roughshod over our elected representatives in such a way and treating our democracy with such contempt. I hope that MPs from all parties will support the eminently sensible Lords amendments, and in doing so give the Government a bloody nose and push the Prime Minister one step closer to the exit of 10 Downing Street.’
Claire Moody
