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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/08/michael-gove-hails-theresa-may-brexit-deal
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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Gove and Johnson congratulate May on Brexit deal | Gove and Johnson congratulate May on Brexit deal |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Michael Gove and Boris Johnson have led senior Brexit supporters in congratulating Theresa May for securing a deal to withdraw the UK from the EU that promises to guarantee the rights of citizens and prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland. | Michael Gove and Boris Johnson have led senior Brexit supporters in congratulating Theresa May for securing a deal to withdraw the UK from the EU that promises to guarantee the rights of citizens and prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland. |
| The environment secretary, who led the Vote Leave campaign, claimed Theresa May had “won” and hailed it as a “significant personal achievement”, as he toured the broadcasters on Thursday morning in support of the deal. | The environment secretary, who led the Vote Leave campaign, claimed Theresa May had “won” and hailed it as a “significant personal achievement”, as he toured the broadcasters on Thursday morning in support of the deal. |
| Johnson, who had warned that the agreement must work for the whole of the UK, added his warm words soon afterwards, saying: “Congratulations to PM for her determination in getting today’s deal. We now aim to forge a deep and special partnership with our European friends and allies while remaining true to the referendum result – taking back control of our laws, money and borders for the whole of the UK.” | Johnson, who had warned that the agreement must work for the whole of the UK, added his warm words soon afterwards, saying: “Congratulations to PM for her determination in getting today’s deal. We now aim to forge a deep and special partnership with our European friends and allies while remaining true to the referendum result – taking back control of our laws, money and borders for the whole of the UK.” |
| Their praise means May has pulled off the difficult trick of satisfying the Brexit supporters in her cabinet for now as well as EU leaders, although many thorny issues are still to be worked out at a later stage. | Their praise means May has pulled off the difficult trick of satisfying the Brexit supporters in her cabinet for now as well as EU leaders, although many thorny issues are still to be worked out at a later stage. |
| Some of the most hardline leave supporters still had reservations but noted that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”, which they interpret to mean the withdrawal agreement only goes ahead if there is a wider trade deal. | Some of the most hardline leave supporters still had reservations but noted that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”, which they interpret to mean the withdrawal agreement only goes ahead if there is a wider trade deal. |
| Inside the EU, both Ireland and Northern Ireland (as part of the UK) are part of the single market and customs union so share the same regulations and standards. | Inside the EU, both Ireland and Northern Ireland (as part of the UK) are part of the single market and customs union so share the same regulations and standards. |
| The only way to avoid a hardening of the border after Brexit is to ensure regulations and standards on both sides remain more or less the same in areas like food, medicines and so on. | The only way to avoid a hardening of the border after Brexit is to ensure regulations and standards on both sides remain more or less the same in areas like food, medicines and so on. |
| This might imply a permanent acceptance of EU rules – something that would be anathema to hardline UK Brexiters and the DUP, who reject anything that would "decouple" the North from the UK. | This might imply a permanent acceptance of EU rules – something that would be anathema to hardline UK Brexiters and the DUP, who reject anything that would "decouple" the North from the UK. |
| David Davis told parliament that regulatory alignment would not mean adopting exactly the same rules as the EU but "mutually recognised" rules and inspections. | David Davis told parliament that regulatory alignment would not mean adopting exactly the same rules as the EU but "mutually recognised" rules and inspections. |
| However, an official in Brussels countered that regulatory alignment would mean that the UK would have to implement rules from Brussels without having any influence over them. | However, an official in Brussels countered that regulatory alignment would mean that the UK would have to implement rules from Brussels without having any influence over them. |
| What is the government’s plan for ‘regulatory alignment’?Davis says the UK could continue to follow some rules of the EU’s single market. This would help avoid a hard border, but would also limit the UK’s ability to diverge from EU regulations. | What is the government’s plan for ‘regulatory alignment’?Davis says the UK could continue to follow some rules of the EU’s single market. This would help avoid a hard border, but would also limit the UK’s ability to diverge from EU regulations. |
| What does the EU think?Davis thinks the UK and EU can agree to meet the same aims, while achieving them in different ways. The EU believes this could see its standards on workers’ rights and the environment undercut. | What does the EU think?Davis thinks the UK and EU can agree to meet the same aims, while achieving them in different ways. The EU believes this could see its standards on workers’ rights and the environment undercut. |
| Can it even work?Parliament cannot bind its successors. This principle would mean a deal would never be completely secure for more than five years – putting its feasibility in doubt. | Can it even work?Parliament cannot bind its successors. This principle would mean a deal would never be completely secure for more than five years – putting its feasibility in doubt. |
| The prime minister made several concessions, including a divorce bill that officials estimate at £35bn-£39bn and allowing British courts to refer cases about EU citizens to the European court of justice for another eight years. | The prime minister made several concessions, including a divorce bill that officials estimate at £35bn-£39bn and allowing British courts to refer cases about EU citizens to the European court of justice for another eight years. |
| But Gove insisted this was acceptable as it was “time-limited” and argued any Brexit supporter should be delighted that the UK would be free from the ECJ, the single market and customs union. | But Gove insisted this was acceptable as it was “time-limited” and argued any Brexit supporter should be delighted that the UK would be free from the ECJ, the single market and customs union. |
| He also defended the promise of “full alignment” with the EU to ensure no hard border in Northern Ireland if there were no deal, saying it was right for the UK to have the same goals on standards for issues such as the environment. | He also defended the promise of “full alignment” with the EU to ensure no hard border in Northern Ireland if there were no deal, saying it was right for the UK to have the same goals on standards for issues such as the environment. |
| Other former Vote Leave supporters also gave their seal of approval to the prime minister, including Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, Priti Patel, the former development secretary, and Matthew Elliott, who ran the main leave campaign. | Other former Vote Leave supporters also gave their seal of approval to the prime minister, including Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, Priti Patel, the former development secretary, and Matthew Elliott, who ran the main leave campaign. |
| Senior cabinet ministers pushing for a softer Brexit – including the chancellor, Philip Hammond, and the home secretary, Amber Rudd – also expressed their satisfaction that a deal had been done, which should allow the UK and EU to move on to trade talks. | Senior cabinet ministers pushing for a softer Brexit – including the chancellor, Philip Hammond, and the home secretary, Amber Rudd – also expressed their satisfaction that a deal had been done, which should allow the UK and EU to move on to trade talks. |
| Opposition parties welcomed the progress made but highlighted the time the deal had taken and the short period left to agree on trade before the UK leaves the EU in March 2019. | Opposition parties welcomed the progress made but highlighted the time the deal had taken and the short period left to agree on trade before the UK leaves the EU in March 2019. |
| The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, said it was good that trade talks could start but the public needed to know “the political price of compromise”. | The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, said it was good that trade talks could start but the public needed to know “the political price of compromise”. |
| He said: “The priority for both sides now must be to agree transitional arrangements on the same basic terms as we have now. That means staying in the single market and customs union for a time-limited period. We will also need to know the political price of the deal struck and the impact any compromise that has been agreed will have on our future relationship with the EU. | He said: “The priority for both sides now must be to agree transitional arrangements on the same basic terms as we have now. That means staying in the single market and customs union for a time-limited period. We will also need to know the political price of the deal struck and the impact any compromise that has been agreed will have on our future relationship with the EU. |
| “As the talks now move on to a discussion about Britain’s future relationship with the European Union, Theresa May must seriously reflect on her approach to the negotiations so far. We cannot have another year of chaos and confusion or the farcical scenes we saw earlier on in the week that put jobs and the economy at risk.” | “As the talks now move on to a discussion about Britain’s future relationship with the European Union, Theresa May must seriously reflect on her approach to the negotiations so far. We cannot have another year of chaos and confusion or the farcical scenes we saw earlier on in the week that put jobs and the economy at risk.” |
| The SNP leader and first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, said the move on to phase two of talks was good “but the devil is in the detail and things now get really tough”. | The SNP leader and first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, said the move on to phase two of talks was good “but the devil is in the detail and things now get really tough”. |
| She said she still believed that staying in the single market and customs union was the only sensible option and argued any special arrangements for Northern Ireland must be available to other UK nations. | She said she still believed that staying in the single market and customs union was the only sensible option and argued any special arrangements for Northern Ireland must be available to other UK nations. |
| However, some of the most hardline Brexit supporters still had some concerns. Owen Paterson, a Conservative former cabinet minister and member of the Leave Means Leave group, said it was a big improvement on the earlier text but there were “still problematic areas including clause 49 (on full alignment), the role of the European court of justice and money”. | However, some of the most hardline Brexit supporters still had some concerns. Owen Paterson, a Conservative former cabinet minister and member of the Leave Means Leave group, said it was a big improvement on the earlier text but there were “still problematic areas including clause 49 (on full alignment), the role of the European court of justice and money”. |
| “At last we are moving to free trade discussions. Problem areas must be debated and resolved. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” he added. | “At last we are moving to free trade discussions. Problem areas must be debated and resolved. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” he added. |
| John Redwood, another former cabinet minister, welcomed the fact that the EU had agreed to talk about trade but added: “Everyone needs to remember that today’s agreement is not the agreement on the UK leaving the EU. It is an agreement to talk about all matters, and is still governed by the crucial principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.” | John Redwood, another former cabinet minister, welcomed the fact that the EU had agreed to talk about trade but added: “Everyone needs to remember that today’s agreement is not the agreement on the UK leaving the EU. It is an agreement to talk about all matters, and is still governed by the crucial principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.” |
| Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, was less complimentary, saying the breakthrough meant it was now time to “move on to the next stage of humiliation”. | Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, was less complimentary, saying the breakthrough meant it was now time to “move on to the next stage of humiliation”. |
| Likewise, the founder of the Leave.EU movement, Arron Banks, said: “It’s confirmed, Theresa May has betrayed the country and the 17.4 million leave voters.” | Likewise, the founder of the Leave.EU movement, Arron Banks, said: “It’s confirmed, Theresa May has betrayed the country and the 17.4 million leave voters.” |
| Banks said that “this traitorous, lily-livered embarrassment of a prime minister” had overseen “the biggest sell-out of this country” since Edward Heath took the UK into the EU in 1973. | Banks said that “this traitorous, lily-livered embarrassment of a prime minister” had overseen “the biggest sell-out of this country” since Edward Heath took the UK into the EU in 1973. |
| “Full regulatory alignment with the internal market and customs union? We may as well just bend over and allow the European Union to have its way with us for years to come,” said Banks. | “Full regulatory alignment with the internal market and customs union? We may as well just bend over and allow the European Union to have its way with us for years to come,” said Banks. |
| “Pledging to honour financial commitments beyond 2020? Brussels would have been lucky had we agreed to honour them up until March 2019. | “Pledging to honour financial commitments beyond 2020? Brussels would have been lucky had we agreed to honour them up until March 2019. |
| “Under Theresa May, we are leaving the European Union in name only. If anyone in the Conservative party has any integrity or sense of duty left, we call on them now to save Brexit by triggering a leadership contest. Tory backbenchers, get writing to the 1922 Committee and help save your country. She has got to go.” | “Under Theresa May, we are leaving the European Union in name only. If anyone in the Conservative party has any integrity or sense of duty left, we call on them now to save Brexit by triggering a leadership contest. Tory backbenchers, get writing to the 1922 Committee and help save your country. She has got to go.” |
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