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| Brexit: Liam Fox sets election deadline for EU transition | Brexit: Liam Fox sets election deadline for EU transition |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Any transitional arrangement with the EU after Brexit must end by the time of the next election, Liam Fox has said. | Any transitional arrangement with the EU after Brexit must end by the time of the next election, Liam Fox has said. |
| The international trade secretary told the BBC he had no ideological objection to interim arrangements to minimise disruption after the UK's exit in 2019. | The international trade secretary told the BBC he had no ideological objection to interim arrangements to minimise disruption after the UK's exit in 2019. |
| But he said he did not want them to "drag on" beyond the date of the next general election, scheduled for 2022. | But he said he did not want them to "drag on" beyond the date of the next general election, scheduled for 2022. |
| The cabinet is said to be united behind a transition although reports it could last four years have been downplayed. | The cabinet is said to be united behind a transition although reports it could last four years have been downplayed. |
| Chancellor Philip Hammond is reported to support a lengthy transitional period to bring certainty to business, which is concerned about the impact on trade and employment of a "cliff-edge" departure. | |
| Newspaper reports on Friday suggested ministers had accepted it could last anywhere between two and four years. | Newspaper reports on Friday suggested ministers had accepted it could last anywhere between two and four years. |
| Mr Fox, who is in Washington for discussions on future trade relations with the US, told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that it was "perfectly reasonable" for there to be a transition period to ensure the process was as "smooth as possible" for British business and foreign investors. | |
| 'Time limited' | |
| But he suggested that voters would want any "voluntary" arrangement to end by the time of the next general election, due to take place in May 2022. | But he suggested that voters would want any "voluntary" arrangement to end by the time of the next general election, due to take place in May 2022. |
| And he said he would want the UK to be able to negotiate its own trade deals during that period so it could take "full advantage" of its new status. | |
| "Having waited over 40 years to leave the EU, 24 months would be a rounding error. | |
| "Whether that is 23 or 25 is not a huge deal and neither is it an ideological one. | |
| "It is about the practical issues we would face, such as getting any new immigration system into place, getting any new customs system into place." | |
| However, he made clear there would have to be clarity not only on the duration of any transitional phase but what limitations it would place on the UK. | |
| Several Conservative MPs have suggested that any deal which required the UK to accept continued free movement for a limited period of time or the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in return for continued temporary membership of the single market would be unacceptable. | |
| Mr Fox added: "I think we would want to get it out of the way before the election. | |
| "I don't think people would want to have it dragging on. I think we would have to be very clear it was time-limited and limited in its scope." | |
| "It is imperative that we leave the EU first and that any implementation period is done "voluntarily" alongside the EU to minimise any disruption." |