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Tory ministers face constituency backlash over Chequers deal Tory ministers to head across Europe selling May's Brexit strategy
(about 4 hours later)
Theresa May’s Chequers plan is in further jeopardy after it emerged that seven Conservative association chairs in constituencies represented by a cabinet member have expressed scepticism about the proposals. A series of ministers are to head across Europe this week as the government embarks on a summer spent trying to sell Theresa May’s Brexit strategy to individual EU leaders – while simultaneously keeping sceptical Tory activists on side.
The chairs, among them the head of May’s own Maidenhead Conservative association, told the Sunday Telegraph they either opposed the proposals outright or would not back them if the prime minister had to make concessions to the EU. With the prime minister on holiday in Italy, Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, and the chancellor, Philip Hammond, are due separately in France in the coming days for meetings, with a series of other ministers also scheduled to go on other trips.
As May began her summer holiday with a late push to reassure critics at home that the painstakingly drafted Chequers plans and associated white paper is viable without significant changes, Richard Kellaway said he backed the Chequers plan but would not accept further concessions. Downing Street will also make renewed overtures to local Conservative associations, after it emerged that seven party chairs in areas represented by cabinet ministers have expressed scepticism at May’s painstakingly drafted Chequers plans and associated white paper.
A briefing on the proposals at Downing Street went down very well among those present, Kellaway said: “At some stage we’ve got to do a deal, and a deal by definition is a compromise.” Before May headed to northern Italy – where official photographs released on Sunday showed her strolling with her husband, Philip, by Lake Garda – she stopped off in Salzburg on Friday, as a guest of the Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz.
But he told the Telegraph: “I think we have reached the stage that if we don’t get a deal around these terms, then we’ll have to break away. If it were to be diluted it would ultimately not be acceptable.” There, she also held talks with the Czech prime minister, Andrej Babiš, Jüri Ratas, the Estonian prime minister, and the president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Others were more outspoken. Patricia Soby, who chairs the Tory association in Torridge and West Devon, represented by the attorney general, Geoffrey Cox, told the paper: “This constituency conducted our own survey and practically everybody was against the Chequers deal.” No 10 has talked up the discussions as a success, notably the agreement by Kurz that an informal European Council meeting in September, mainly focused on immigration, will also talk about Brexit ahead of a key summit next month.
Don Hammond, chair of the Conservative association in Tatton, represented by the work and pensions secretary, Esther McvVey, said: “This is right at the limit of what I would consider to be a Brexit and I am distinctly unenthusiastic.” The hope is to target politicians and voters in the individual EU27 nations, persuading them to take an easier line than the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, who last week who seemed to dismiss the basis of May’s customs plan, a key plank of the Chequers proposal.
Others spoke to the paper without wishing to be named. One chair of a remain-backing cabinet minister’s local association said: “My fear is that if there isn’t a good deal, we’re going to get decimated at the next general election.” “Those four meetings all felt very positive,” a Downing Street source said. “They listened to the prime minister as she talked though the headlines of the white paper and engaged positively. And getting it to the informal European Council is going to be an important point for all European leaders to discuss that future relationship.”
However, May also faces challenges closer to home after a series of local party chairs, among them the head of May’s own Maidenhead Conservative association, told the Sunday Telegraph they either opposed the Chequers proposals outright or would not back them if the prime minister had to make concessions to the EU.
Richard Kellaway said a briefing on the proposals at Downing Street went down well among those present. But he told the Telegraph: “I think we have reached the stage that if we don’t get a deal around these terms, then we’ll have to break away. If it were to be diluted it would ultimately not be acceptable.”
Others were more outspoken. Patricia Soby, who chairs the Tory association in Torridge and west Devon, represented by the attorney general, Geoffrey Cox, told the paper: “This constituency conducted our own survey and practically everybody was against the Chequers deal.”
Don Hammond, chair of the Conservative association in Tatton, represented by the work and pensions secretary, Esther McVey, said: “This is right at the limit of what I would consider to be a Brexit and I am distinctly unenthusiastic.”
A customs union is an agreement by a group of countries, such as the EU, to all apply the same tariffs on imported goods from the rest of the world and, typically, eliminate them entirely for trade within the group. By doing this, they can help avoid the need for costly and time-consuming customs checks during trade between members of the union. Asian shipping containers arriving at Felixstowe or Rotterdam, for example, need only pass through customs once before their contents head to markets all over Europe. Lorries passing between Dover and Calais avoid delay entirely.A customs union is an agreement by a group of countries, such as the EU, to all apply the same tariffs on imported goods from the rest of the world and, typically, eliminate them entirely for trade within the group. By doing this, they can help avoid the need for costly and time-consuming customs checks during trade between members of the union. Asian shipping containers arriving at Felixstowe or Rotterdam, for example, need only pass through customs once before their contents head to markets all over Europe. Lorries passing between Dover and Calais avoid delay entirely.
Customs are not the only checks that count – imports are also scrutinised for conformity with trading standards regulations and security and immigration purposes – but they do play an important role in determining how much friction there is at the border. A strict customs regime at Dover or between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would lead to delays that will be costly for business and disruptive for travellers. Just-in-time supply chains in industries such as car making could suffer. An Irish peace process built around the principle of entirely unfettered travel between north and south could be jeopardised.Customs are not the only checks that count – imports are also scrutinised for conformity with trading standards regulations and security and immigration purposes – but they do play an important role in determining how much friction there is at the border. A strict customs regime at Dover or between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would lead to delays that will be costly for business and disruptive for travellers. Just-in-time supply chains in industries such as car making could suffer. An Irish peace process built around the principle of entirely unfettered travel between north and south could be jeopardised.
Before beginning her break in Italy and Switzerland, May held talks in Austria on Friday with the country’s chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, and the Czech prime minister, Andrej Babiš, both seen as potentially more sympathetic than the EU’s Brexit team. Within Downing Street there is an acceptance that local party activists tend to be more heavily pro-leave than average, and thus some pushback is inevitable. However, more briefings are planned in an attempt to reassure them.
The discussions followed comments by the EU’s chief negotiatior, Michel Barnier, who seemed to dismiss the basis of May’s customs plan, a key plank of the Chequers proposal, saying it was not possible for the UK to collect EU tariffs as a non-member. The biggest setback in recent days came on Thursday when Barnier said it was not possible for the UK to collect EU tariffs as a non-member.
The EU “cannot and will not delegate the application of its customs policy and rules, VAT and duty collection to a non-member who would not be subject to the EU governance structures”, Barnier told a press conference alongside the Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab.The EU “cannot and will not delegate the application of its customs policy and rules, VAT and duty collection to a non-member who would not be subject to the EU governance structures”, Barnier told a press conference alongside the Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab.
The prime minister has endured the resignations of David Davis, Boris Johnson and a series of more junior ministers, and reports and polls indicate that her Brexit proposals are deeply unpopular with many Conservative members. Downing Street has sought to play down the apparent hostility, saying Barnier had been more positive in other areas, such as the planned backstop.
With the Commons in recess until 4 September, May has some respite, but lingering disquiet is likely to peak at the Conservative party’s annual conference at the end of the month. Grassroots members and refusenik MPs are likely to make their feelings plain, as speculation continues that she could face a leadership challenge. “There is a chink in the Barnier armour – he’s the chief negotiator, you don’t expect him to come out with anything other than a tough line to start with,” the No 10 source said.
With the Commons in recess until 4 September, May has some respite, but lingering disquiet is likely to peak at the Conservative party’s annual conference at the end of the month. Grassroots members and refusenik MPs are likely to make their feelings plain as speculation continues that she could face a leadership challenge.
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