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UK heading for 'dilution of Brexit', says former minister Brexit: Conservatives 'must come together', says Lidington
(about 3 hours later)
The UK is heading towards "a dilution of Brexit", former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers has said. Conservatives must "come together in a spirit of mutual respect", a cabinet minister has said amid a row over Brexit negotiations.
The Conservative MP, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, said there was "a real danger" the UK will sign up to an agreement with Brussels which could "keep us in the EU in all but name". David Lidington told the BBC the "left, right and centre" of the party should look at the "bigger picture".
Her comments come amid growing Tory party rifts over Brexit. It comes as former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers warned Brexit could be "diluted".
Backbenchers criticised Philip Hammond this week for saying changes to UK-EU relations could be "very modest". She is among Eurosceptics concerned that the UK will remain in the EU "in all but name".
Ms Villiers, who campaigned for a Leave vote in the EU referendum, said she had long "made the case for compromise and moderation" in the government's approach to negotiating Brexit. Mr Lidington's remarks come after a row in the party over Chancellor Philip Hammond's remarks at the World Economic Forum at Davos that changes to UK-EU relations could be "very modest".
But, she wrote, since the prime minister "set out a bold vision" a year ago, "the direction of travel seems to have gone in only one single direction: towards a dilution of Brexit". He was criticised by several Tory backbenchers with one telling him to "stick to the script" laid out by the prime minister.
But Mr Lidington told The Andrew Marr Show: "I think what I say to all my colleagues is the Conservative family - left, right and centre, because we're a broad church - needs to come together in a spirit of mutual respect, there are differences in any broad church, and look at what the bigger picture is showing."
The party was still "neck and neck" with Labour in the polls after eight years of government, as well as "taking seats off them" in local government elections, he said.
'Respect result'
Ms Villiers, who campaigned for the UK to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum, wrote in the Sunday Telegraph, that there was "a real danger" the UK will sign up to an agreement with Brussels which could "keep us in the EU in all but name".
She wrote, since the prime minister "set out a bold vision" a year ago, "the direction of travel seems to have gone in only one single direction: towards a dilution of Brexit".
The former Northern Ireland secretary added that a deal which kept the UK in the EU "in all but name" would "fail to respect the referendum result".The former Northern Ireland secretary added that a deal which kept the UK in the EU "in all but name" would "fail to respect the referendum result".
The UK is due to leave the European Union in March 2019, and negotiations are taking place between the two sides.The UK is due to leave the European Union in March 2019, and negotiations are taking place between the two sides.
Ms Villiers is the latest senior Conservative Eurosceptic to speak out over perceived backsliding by the government. 'In name only'
One of the key questions is how close the trading relationship with Europe will be, once the UK has left.One of the key questions is how close the trading relationship with Europe will be, once the UK has left.
Earlier this week the chancellor said he hoped the UK and EU economies would only move "very modestly" apart after Brexit, as they were already "completely interconnected and aligned". Ms Villiers is the latest senior Conservative Eurosceptic to speak out over perceived backsliding by the government.
But MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of the leading Eurosceptic voices on the Conservative benches, said that "close alignment" with the EU after Brexit would be unacceptable. Earlier in the week MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of the leading Eurosceptic voices on the Conservative benches, said that "close alignment" with the EU after Brexit would be unacceptable.
He warned Theresa May that if she delivered "Brexit in name only", the Tories would lose the next election.He warned Theresa May that if she delivered "Brexit in name only", the Tories would lose the next election.
Meanwhile, former Tory party chairman Grant Shapps has urged the prime minister to "name a date" when she will stand down, according to the Mail on Sunday.Meanwhile, former Tory party chairman Grant Shapps has urged the prime minister to "name a date" when she will stand down, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Mr Shapps said he had not submitted a letter to the party's 1922 Committee, calling for a leadership contest, but added "an increasing number of my colleagues have".Mr Shapps said he had not submitted a letter to the party's 1922 Committee, calling for a leadership contest, but added "an increasing number of my colleagues have".
Elsewhere, in an interview with Piers Morgan for ITV, US President Donald Trump criticised the prime minister's approach to Brexit negotiations.Elsewhere, in an interview with Piers Morgan for ITV, US President Donald Trump criticised the prime minister's approach to Brexit negotiations.
He says he would have "taken a tougher stand in getting out".He says he would have "taken a tougher stand in getting out".