Theresa May has effectively ruled out Labour’s proposal for a Brexit compromise, stressing her objection to staying inside a customs union. “I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deals?” she wrote to Jeremy Corbyn. The PM argued that her own Brexit plan “explicitly provides for the benefits of a customs union” in terms of avoiding tariffs, while allowing “development of the UK’s independent trade policy beyond our economic partnership with the EU”.
She accepted a customs union could potentially have delivered her a Commons majority but at the serious risk of splitting her party.
The letter comes amid a growing presumption that while May remains officially committed to putting a revised Brexit plan to MPs as soon as possible, in practice this is unlikely to happen before the end of February. Business leaders have called for quicker action, with the head of the CBI, Carolyn Fairbairn, saying the UK is “in the emergency zone of Brexit now” and the confusion will not just affect jobs and investment, but harm the UK as a long-term business destination.
I’m still interested to know what people feel about customs union.
Those who have posted already haven’t said if that would be, in their opinion, acceptable.
What do you think?
I think the customs union is acceptable, but then I would. It is, of course, a poor second best to actually remaining in the EU and having our full and meaningful say as we always have done in the past.
Cartoon this morning shows TM head as a BAFTA award for ‘the longest running farce’. Love it!
And I would hate a customs union MaizieD as it wasn’t what I voted for. It ties us in and prevents us from making our own trade deals without EU approval first! Neither in nor out. We have Theresa the Appeaser to thank (not) for this dog’s dinner of a deal.
Thank you maizie for answering that.
Urmstingran? Annie? lemongrove? what do you think?
Sorry Anja please see my post above regards my view on a custom union. I replied directly to MaizieD but no matter.
Crossed posts again!
Your post hadn’t registered when I posted. Thanks for your reply.
I just wonder about the problems of cross border checks, the costs to import and export to our biggest and closest export market. I wouldn’t like to rely on the US or China for any future trade deals.
I thought the customs union means free movement and no independent trade agreements?
And no one seems to be noticing that the EU negotiators keep reiterating that the only deal is the one on the table. They’re not negotiating any further. At all. Ever. Have I missed them saying they’ll agree to the proposed Corbyn deal?
Of course the public are sick of brexit and appalled at the utter waste of billions of taxpayers' money on this attempt to appease the extreme right.
Opinion polls consistently show that most people want the UK to Remain in the EU and have done for the last two years.
Haha! Anja we’re not doing so well this morning are we?
Great news just though this morning though about a post Brexit relationship with Switzerland. That should please and reassure jura2
Riverwalk has said exactly what I was going to as soon as I saw the title: the original referendum happened because DC feared the split in his party; and the possibility of the Tories losing an election.
I also agree with the poster who says that initially it was a common market that we agreed to and it is all the massive add-ons that have happened since that are the concern for many and that encouraged the out vote.
Have I missed them saying they’ll agree to the proposed Corbyn deal?
I think it's a distinct possibility, Nfk. Labour have had various meetings with the EU over the last 2 years. They are probably proposing something that the EU would like. I think the EU would be very happy with the customs union. Some will see this as a negative, some as a positive.
Who on earth trusts the bluddy polls any more varian? They got it so wrong over the referendum!
Not free movement with customs union its the single market is a broader agreement that encompasses the free movement of goods, services, capital and people.
Wonder if most realise this and would it make a difference?
I’ll return to this later. In the meantime I need to sort out the free movement of bedclothes from the washing machine to the clothes line and via the ironing board back to the beds.
I like your SOH Anja it makes me like you better - even though we disagree on our politics!
Fascinating collection of posts this morning.
I'm still waiting to see what it is the UK will offer to trade with to Japan, China, India, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Russia, the USA, etc.
Off to Iceland now - to see if I can knock up a deal on frozen carrots
You IRON sheets????!!!!!
I'm not sure it makes much difference whether TM & JC reach an agreement when the EU have said there won't be any negotiations. I suppose if it were a radical change they might consider it but then what about all those who don't want a customs union, surely they will frustrate it?
It makes me sad when people bury their heads in the sand. It is all very well if you are in a position to pay more for everything or in a secure job but what about all those less fortunate? Don't they matter? Some of us care passionately and this is such an important issue I wish more would take it seriously. Its not about winning or losing, its about having an open mind and listening to those with different opinions. To simply say 'I voted Leave/Remain and I'm sticking to it' is a matter of pride and we all know what that goes before.
My view, for what it's worth is that all MPs regardless of party are trying to impose their will on the country. Those who wanted to remain are causing just as many problems as those who wanted to leave. There is no consensus from any party on any proposals offered, it's all what individual MPs want. Very little actual consideration to the referendum result.
Making our own trade deals is just another unicorn. Why do we want to? There aren’t many significant countries that we could deal with that don’t already have deals with the EU. And it is being made starkly clear by the Japanese that they expect to give us a worse deal than the EU. Hardly surprising, we have less clout than the largest trading bloc in the world.
Nonnie; I don't think any job is secure these days. Although, from the way the defence secretary is speaking there might be a lot of jobs going in the armed forces as he seems to think we will become a world power militarily after Brexit...why, even as I speak we've sent our aircraft carrier out to sort out any problems in the Pacific....
counterpoint is absolutely right.
How do we know that the countries we want to do trade deals with even want the products we produce? As for the USA, Trump has made it clear that it's America first
Brexit will lead to less manufacturing here as well.
4allweknow - we are a Parliamentary democracy so MPs get to decide what happens at the end of the day. We don't run our Government by referendum.
No-one knows why people who voted the way that they did in the 2016 referendum so how do the Leavers and the Government know something the rest of us don't?
Theresa May is simply playing for time. She's got to rule out a No Deal to prove she is acting in good faith rather than blackmailing MPs who don't like her deal to vote for it.
Why won't she rule out a No Deal and give business some confidence that she cares about the future of the UK economy?
Anja
There is no need to resort to bad language, unless you have a very stunted vocabulary.
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