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Dominic Raab tells 'carping' critics of May's Brexit plan to back off Dominic Raab tells 'carping' critics of May's Brexit plan to back off
(4 months later)
The new Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, has urged critics of the Chequers plan to stop “carping” and come up with a credible alternative.The new Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, has urged critics of the Chequers plan to stop “carping” and come up with a credible alternative.
In an interview on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme Raab insisted that May’s plan, which led to David Davis, Boris Johnson and various other senior Tory party politicians resigning in protest, was a “credible” proposal.In an interview on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme Raab insisted that May’s plan, which led to David Davis, Boris Johnson and various other senior Tory party politicians resigning in protest, was a “credible” proposal.
“It’s bold, it’s ambitious but it’s also pragmatic,” he said of the blueprint for the UK’s future relationship with the EU, which will be published on Thursday, more than two years after the vote to leave the bloc.“It’s bold, it’s ambitious but it’s also pragmatic,” he said of the blueprint for the UK’s future relationship with the EU, which will be published on Thursday, more than two years after the vote to leave the bloc.
Raab said he hoped the white paper would “reassure all of those with concerns about this”.Raab said he hoped the white paper would “reassure all of those with concerns about this”.
“For those that are either criticising or carping or whatever else, they need to come back with credible alternatives,” he said. The ex-housing minister revealed that the white paper would not include a detailed post-Brexit immigration policy.“For those that are either criticising or carping or whatever else, they need to come back with credible alternatives,” he said. The ex-housing minister revealed that the white paper would not include a detailed post-Brexit immigration policy.
Raab said he would be “deputising” for the prime minister during the Brexit negotiations.Raab said he would be “deputising” for the prime minister during the Brexit negotiations.
He will speak to Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, over the phone on Thursday before a meeting in Brussels next week.He will speak to Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, over the phone on Thursday before a meeting in Brussels next week.
“The prime minister is in charge of the negotiations,” Raab said on Today. “I will be deputising for her and I plan to speak to Michel Barnier later today.”“The prime minister is in charge of the negotiations,” Raab said on Today. “I will be deputising for her and I plan to speak to Michel Barnier later today.”
Raab said the white paper would not include a detailed post-Brexit immigration policy.Raab said the white paper would not include a detailed post-Brexit immigration policy.
He told the BBC’s Mishal Husain that voters would have to wait for the home secretary’s immigration bill, which may not be ready until late autumn.He told the BBC’s Mishal Husain that voters would have to wait for the home secretary’s immigration bill, which may not be ready until late autumn.
“Sajid Javid will come up with an immigration bill,” he said. “We’ll obviously have a negotiation but what we’re clear about is we will have control over our borders and over our immigration policy.“Sajid Javid will come up with an immigration bill,” he said. “We’ll obviously have a negotiation but what we’re clear about is we will have control over our borders and over our immigration policy.
“The bits that we’re talking about in the white paper, and some of that is subject to negotiation of course, but we need to have control over the number of people coming here.”“The bits that we’re talking about in the white paper, and some of that is subject to negotiation of course, but we need to have control over the number of people coming here.”
Although the UK would be ending free movement, visas would be a part of future trade deals, he stressed.Although the UK would be ending free movement, visas would be a part of future trade deals, he stressed.
When Husain asked if the government had indeed left “a really important part of this debate” – substantive policy on immigration – out of the white paper, Raab said: “No, if you let me finish my sentence Mishal, what I explained is the bits we need to do to keep Britain an open and outward looking country and allow people to come here for holidays, tourists, students, business trips, to take advantage of the rich tapestry of cultural life across the continent, that’s all really important.When Husain asked if the government had indeed left “a really important part of this debate” – substantive policy on immigration – out of the white paper, Raab said: “No, if you let me finish my sentence Mishal, what I explained is the bits we need to do to keep Britain an open and outward looking country and allow people to come here for holidays, tourists, students, business trips, to take advantage of the rich tapestry of cultural life across the continent, that’s all really important.
“No one disagrees with that, but we’re ending free movement.”“No one disagrees with that, but we’re ending free movement.”
Raab refused to say if the white paper was an opening offer to the EU or the UK’s red lines.Raab refused to say if the white paper was an opening offer to the EU or the UK’s red lines.
“I don’t really want to get into all of that but we need to crack on,” he said, adding there would be negotiationsabout the details when the immigration bill was set out.“I don’t really want to get into all of that but we need to crack on,” he said, adding there would be negotiationsabout the details when the immigration bill was set out.
The foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, who is attending the Nato summit in Brussels, acknowledged the white paper would be the subject of “fierce discussion”.The foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, who is attending the Nato summit in Brussels, acknowledged the white paper would be the subject of “fierce discussion”.
“You are going to have very, very lively debates in a situation like this. This is one of the biggest decisions that we have taken as a country in our political lifetimes, so there is going to be a pretty fierce discussion but the prime minister has found a way forward,” he told reporters.“You are going to have very, very lively debates in a situation like this. This is one of the biggest decisions that we have taken as a country in our political lifetimes, so there is going to be a pretty fierce discussion but the prime minister has found a way forward,” he told reporters.
The MP Yvette Cooper, a former frontbencher, said the Labour party was unlikely to support Theresa May’s Chequers plan for Brexit.The MP Yvette Cooper, a former frontbencher, said the Labour party was unlikely to support Theresa May’s Chequers plan for Brexit.
“My view is that as it stands, no. We will wait to see what the white paper comes out with today,” she told the Today programme.“My view is that as it stands, no. We will wait to see what the white paper comes out with today,” she told the Today programme.
“That’s partly because it doesn’t actually have a customs union in it. It has a fudge on customs partnership which, as I see it, would still be really bad for manufacturing.“That’s partly because it doesn’t actually have a customs union in it. It has a fudge on customs partnership which, as I see it, would still be really bad for manufacturing.
“No deal only becomes more likely if the government insists on putting a gun to parliament’s head and making it a no deal.“No deal only becomes more likely if the government insists on putting a gun to parliament’s head and making it a no deal.
“The fact that parliament may not agree with the Chequers proposal doesn’t mean it wants no deal.”“The fact that parliament may not agree with the Chequers proposal doesn’t mean it wants no deal.”
BrexitBrexit
Dominic RaabDominic Raab
European UnionEuropean Union
Immigration and asylumImmigration and asylum
Michel BarnierMichel Barnier
Foreign policyForeign policy
Theresa May
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