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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brexit: Jeremy Hunt says UK will not stay in customs union | Brexit: Jeremy Hunt says UK will not stay in customs union |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Cabinet minister Jeremy Hunt has said there is no possibility that the government would back remaining in a customs union after Brexit. | Cabinet minister Jeremy Hunt has said there is no possibility that the government would back remaining in a customs union after Brexit. |
| The health secretary said the UK wanted "frictionless trade" but would "find a different way" to achieve that. | The health secretary said the UK wanted "frictionless trade" but would "find a different way" to achieve that. |
| A Conservative MP says she has cross-party support for an amendment calling for the government to form "a" customs union with the EU after Brexit. | A Conservative MP says she has cross-party support for an amendment calling for the government to form "a" customs union with the EU after Brexit. |
| Jeremy Corbyn is set to outline Labour policy on a customs union on Monday. | Jeremy Corbyn is set to outline Labour policy on a customs union on Monday. |
| If he backs membership of a customs union, it could mean Mrs May faces a Commons showdown over the issue - with pro-European Conservative rebels joining forces with Labour MPs. | If he backs membership of a customs union, it could mean Mrs May faces a Commons showdown over the issue - with pro-European Conservative rebels joining forces with Labour MPs. |
| Conservative MP Anna Soubry says she has cross-party support for an amendment to the Trade Bill, currently going through Parliament, urging the government to pursue as a negotiating objective forming a customs union after Brexit. | Conservative MP Anna Soubry says she has cross-party support for an amendment to the Trade Bill, currently going through Parliament, urging the government to pursue as a negotiating objective forming a customs union after Brexit. |
| A customs union means countries club together and agree to apply the same tariffs to goods from outside the union - but it does not allow members to strike their own trade deals. | A customs union means countries club together and agree to apply the same tariffs to goods from outside the union - but it does not allow members to strike their own trade deals. |
| Supporters of the UK being in a customs union argue it is vital to protect businesses - but opponents fear it would mean "Brexit in name only" and the UK should make its own arrangements. | Supporters of the UK being in a customs union argue it is vital to protect businesses - but opponents fear it would mean "Brexit in name only" and the UK should make its own arrangements. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg | By BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg |
| The meeting is over, but the public explanation of the agreement won't come until next week. | The meeting is over, but the public explanation of the agreement won't come until next week. |
| So what was the deal? One of the ministers in the room said that everyone was "rather happy" at the end, another said that the PM had "played a blinder". | So what was the deal? One of the ministers in the room said that everyone was "rather happy" at the end, another said that the PM had "played a blinder". |
| More realistically, perhaps, one of those senior figures described it as an "outbreak of unity for now". | More realistically, perhaps, one of those senior figures described it as an "outbreak of unity for now". |
| Brexit backers are busily spinning that "divergence has won", with the claim that the UK will go for so-called mutual recognition with the EU on goods, meaning there is no decision to follow EU rules slavishly for ever. | Brexit backers are busily spinning that "divergence has won", with the claim that the UK will go for so-called mutual recognition with the EU on goods, meaning there is no decision to follow EU rules slavishly for ever. |
| Read more from Laura | Read more from Laura |
| Jeremy Hunt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme a customs union was "one way of getting frictionless trade but it is not the only way". | |
| The government wanted to agree "frictionless trade by agreement between two sovereign bodies, the United Kingdom and the European Union", he said. | |
| Asked if there was any possibility of the government coming round to the idea of a customs union with the EU after Brexit, he replied: "No". | |
| The health secretary was not at the meeting of senior ministers at Chequers on Thursday, at which the UK approach to Brexit was discussed over eight hours. | |
| But he said he had been told there had been a "very positive discussion" and "good progress" had been made. | |
| 'Sovereign power' | |
| He said a broad agreement had been reached at Chequers, ahead of a discussion by the whole cabinet and the prime minister's speech next week. | |
| "You have divergent views on a big issue like Brexit as you would expect - but the central common understanding is that there will be areas and sectors of industry where we agree to align our regulations with European regulations," he said. | |
| "The automotive industry is perhaps an obvious example because of supply chains that are integrated. | |
| "But it will be on a voluntary basis, we will as a sovereign power have the right to choose to diverge, and what we won't be doing is accepting changes in rules because the EU unilaterally chooses to make those changes." | |
| Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who was at Chequers, told Sky News there had been "a very good atmosphere" while Home Secretary Amber Rudd told the BBC: "We all got behind the prime minister and we've agreed the basis for her speech next week and looking forward to it going ahead." | |
| But pro-EU Labour backbencher Chuka Umunna - an ally of Anna Soubry - warned Theresa May her plan to leave the customs union could be defeated by MPs. | |
| "There is no majority in the House of Commons for us not to participate in the customs union, that is absolutely clear... it's the reality of the parliamentary arithmetic." | "There is no majority in the House of Commons for us not to participate in the customs union, that is absolutely clear... it's the reality of the parliamentary arithmetic." |
| 'Kowtow to EU' | |
| Of the government, he said: "If they are not going to change their position they are going to lose votes in the House of Commons, it's a straightforward as that." | Of the government, he said: "If they are not going to change their position they are going to lose votes in the House of Commons, it's a straightforward as that." |
| He said Labour's position had been "evolving" on staying in some form of customs union and he said he was confident his party would back the amendment put forward by him and Ms Soubry. | He said Labour's position had been "evolving" on staying in some form of customs union and he said he was confident his party would back the amendment put forward by him and Ms Soubry. |
| Meanwhile the Times has reported that the prime minister is planning a U-turn over the right of EU citizens who arrive in the UK after Brexit, but during the "transition period", to remain in the country permanently. | |
| Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC that would be "quite wrong": "I'd be astonished if Mrs May would make U-turn of that kind; she is a lady of great backbone and for her to kowtow to the European Union is, I think, unconscionable." |