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| Liam Fox: 'Brexit more complicated than a packet of Walkers' in response to former trade chief's criticism | Liam Fox: 'Brexit more complicated than a packet of Walkers' in response to former trade chief's criticism |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Liam Fox has declared that "Brexit is more complicated than a packet of Walkers" after an ex-Government adviser claimed leaving the bloc was like swapping a "three course meal" for the promise of a "packet of crisps". | Liam Fox has declared that "Brexit is more complicated than a packet of Walkers" after an ex-Government adviser claimed leaving the bloc was like swapping a "three course meal" for the promise of a "packet of crisps". |
| The International Trade Secretary hit back at Sir Martin Donnelly's criticism of his calls to leave the European customs union and strike free trade deals further afield, using a keynote speech to warn that any form of customs unions with the EU after Brexit would be a "complete sell-out" of Britain's interests. | |
| Outlining his vision for future trade after Brexit, Dr Fox said there were real opportunities for Britain to show leadership on the global stage but only if struck out on its own rather than "ceding control" to Brussels. | |
| It comes as Theresa May faced growing pressure over customs union membership, after Jeremy Corbyn unveiled a dramatic shift in Labour’s Brexit stance in favour of a “new and comprehensive” customs agreement to allow tariff-free trade with the EU. | |
| Pro-EU Tory rebels are threatening to join forces with Labour to keep membership on the table in a potentially devastating Commons revolt for the Government. | Pro-EU Tory rebels are threatening to join forces with Labour to keep membership on the table in a potentially devastating Commons revolt for the Government. |
| Asked about Sir Martin's comments during a speech in London, Dr Fox said: "It's unsurprising that those who have spent a lifetime working within the European Union would see moving away from the European Union as a threat." | Asked about Sir Martin's comments during a speech in London, Dr Fox said: "It's unsurprising that those who have spent a lifetime working within the European Union would see moving away from the European Union as a threat." |
| The prominent Brexiteer went on: "We are already trying to seek a full and liberal partnership with with the European Union, we are already having discussions about expanding our trade agreements beyond the EU, and we are also taking about rolling over the EU agreements into UK law, so that we get no disruption in terms of market access on exit. | |
| "So its not a choice of one or the other, and in any case, I think the UK Brexit process is, as we have all discovered, a little more complex than a packet of Walkers." | "So its not a choice of one or the other, and in any case, I think the UK Brexit process is, as we have all discovered, a little more complex than a packet of Walkers." |
| Referring to Sir Martin's claim that the UK would need a fairy godmother to get the EU deal it is seeking, Dr Fox said: "Neither Sir Martin, with all due respect, nor anyone else has seen the full details of what was agreed at Cabinet last week at Chequers. | Referring to Sir Martin's claim that the UK would need a fairy godmother to get the EU deal it is seeking, Dr Fox said: "Neither Sir Martin, with all due respect, nor anyone else has seen the full details of what was agreed at Cabinet last week at Chequers. |
| "And the Prime Minister sets those out on Friday; I think people will find that what we need is a hard-headed leader, not a fairy godmother." | "And the Prime Minister sets those out on Friday; I think people will find that what we need is a hard-headed leader, not a fairy godmother." |
| Dr Fox also dismissed Labour's policy shift as an "incoherent, inept and clueless performance", which he claimed would be "funny if it wasn't so tragic". | Dr Fox also dismissed Labour's policy shift as an "incoherent, inept and clueless performance", which he claimed would be "funny if it wasn't so tragic". |
| He added: "Remaining in a customs union of any type, would only make sense if we were to abandon our global ambitions and limit our abilities to shape our trade policy and the changes to the global environment that I have outlined. | He added: "Remaining in a customs union of any type, would only make sense if we were to abandon our global ambitions and limit our abilities to shape our trade policy and the changes to the global environment that I have outlined. |
| "Tomorrow's choices would be constrained by today's status quo." | "Tomorrow's choices would be constrained by today's status quo." |
| Dr Fox is the last in a series of senior Cabinet ministers to make a "Road to Brexit" speech, culminating in a speech by Ms May on Friday where she is expected to set out detail of the plan for "ambitious managed divergence" agreed by her Brexit war cabinet at Chequers last week. The plan is set to be approved by full Cabinet at a special meeting on Thursday. | Dr Fox is the last in a series of senior Cabinet ministers to make a "Road to Brexit" speech, culminating in a speech by Ms May on Friday where she is expected to set out detail of the plan for "ambitious managed divergence" agreed by her Brexit war cabinet at Chequers last week. The plan is set to be approved by full Cabinet at a special meeting on Thursday. |
| The proposal - which was immediately described as "pure illusion" by European Council president Donald Tusk - is understood to involve a promise to keep UK standards as high as European ones, as well as the creation of a dispute mechanism for cases where Britain wants to go its own way. | The proposal - which was immediately described as "pure illusion" by European Council president Donald Tusk - is understood to involve a promise to keep UK standards as high as European ones, as well as the creation of a dispute mechanism for cases where Britain wants to go its own way. |