Theresa May 'played a blinder' as Brexit team AGREE vital negotiating position at Chequers
A VITAL breakthrough was made by Theresa May’s Brexit committee last night as MPs divided on the future of the UK outside of the EU came to an agreement on the Government’s negotiating position, it has been reported.
Barnier: Brexit transition to end on December 31 2020
The Prime Minister’s top team have been deadlocked over the last few months with bitter infighting among Tory ranks about how close the UK’s relationship to Brussels should be.
Multiple sources reported in the media have claimed that a compromise agreement has now been struck after the Prime Minster “played a blinder”.
The Brexit sub committee met for eight hours at Chequers where the senior members of the cabinet thrashed out the plans for the future relationship with the EU.
Boris Johnson and Remoaner Philip Hammond are believed to have been most at odds prior to the meeting, with the Chancellor having previously suggested that the UK should remain as closely aligned to the EU as possible after Brexit.
Prior to the meeting one Cabinet source said: “Hammond and Boris are still the two on the peripheries of the argument, and both are still very dug in.
“It doesn’t look like either are ready to budge yet, so some sort of verbal fudge looks most likely.”
A photo of the meeting between the politicians shows the pair forced to awkwardly sit next to each other during the discussions.
After a long day of debate, which saw discussions continue over a dinner of sweetcorn soup, Guinness rib of beef, and dessert lemon tart and raspberries, it is believed an agreement for divergence has been struck.
A widely quoted source said: “Divergence has won the day”.
A number of positions as to how the UK should interact with the EU have been presented in recent weeks, with some ministers calling for a complete split from EU rules and regulation while others have instead a slower separation should take place.
The exact detail of the agreement made between the group is being kept tightly under wraps.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “They held discussions including about the automotive sector led by Greg Clark, agrifood led by Michael Gove, digital trade by Liam Fox and a discussion on the overall future economic partnership that was led by the prime minister.”
All officials reportedly had their phones confiscated during the meeting to prevent leaks.
Next Tuesday the Prime Minister will present her proposed negotiating position to the Cabinet.
A major speech outlining the position is then expected to follow before negotiations between the UK and EU start again in Brussels next month.
Pressure has been building on the Cabinet to come to a unified position on Brexit, with the wider Conservative party outlining their expectations from the UK negotiating strategy.
Rees-Mogg: Philip Hammond needs to get back in line
Earlier this week Jacob Rees-Mogg used his Telegraph column to express his frustration at the lack of clarity a leaked Whitehall document provided regarding immigration controls.
He wrote: “There is no mention of our having the ability to apply immigration controls.
“Concern over lost control over migration was a significant issue in the referendum.
“Whoever compiled this document proposes no changes to it for an indefinite period and would thereby let down millions of voters for whom this was an important issue.”