Tag: John Redwood

Downing Street has insisted it will not back down on leaving the customs union, as pro-Brexit MPs signalled their resolve over the issue ahead of a key week for the future of the UK’s relations with Europe. “The position remains very clear: we don’t think staying in a customs union is the right thing to do and it isn’t government policy to do so,” a Downing Street source said. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, reiterated the point on BBC1’s Breakfast on Monday. “She has said that we are not going to be part of the customs union or any customs union. “I’ve heard many times the prime minister say that it is our policy to leave the single market and customs union. “More importantly, on a three-line whip, we have twice now had formal, important votes in the House of Commons on this, and the House of Commons voted on both occasions by a big margin that we should leave the single market and the customs union.” Asked if the prime minister might shift her policy, Redwood said: “Theresa May won’t change her mind, I assume, because she’s been crystal clear on this throughout, and the Conservative manifesto was quite clear on this, and we need to stick to our word.” The BBC later reported that No 10 could even decree that any vote on staying in the customs union via amendments tabled by Tory remainers would be seen as an issue of confidence in the government. However, a Downing Street source dismissed this. Kenneth Clarke, who has supported one of these amendments, told Today the issue had “suddenly become panic of the day among the apparatchiks in Downing Street”. Any customs union makes it effectively impossible to negotiate free trade deals with other countries – one of the government’s key ambitions and a central justification for leaving the EU. At least 10 Conservative backbenchers have signed an amendment to the trade and customs bill supporting continued membership.