Michael Gove fails to rule out no-deal Brexit

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/17/michael-gove-fails-to-rule-out-no-deal-brexit

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Minister questioned about scheme to outlaw extending transition period

Michael Gove has declined to rule out the possibility of a no-deal Brexit as he was challenged over the government’s decision to make it illegal to request an extension to EU alignment beyond 2020.

In its first major announcement since securing a majority in the general election, the government said it would enshrine in law a ban on extending the transition period on a Brexit deal with the EU.

This is being seen as an attempt to push the European Union to give Boris Johnson a comprehensive free trade deal in less than 11 months by presenting the bloc with a new cliff-edge.

The extension ban will be written into the withdrawal agreement bill, which is due to have its second reading in the Commons on Friday.

However, questions have been raised over what happens if an agreement is not struck with the EU by the end of 2020.

Gove’s comments came as the prime minister told colleagues at the first cabinet meeting since the Tory landslide election result that they must work “24 hours a day” to create a “people’s government”.

Johnson said to ministers gathered around the cabinet table in Downing Street that they must work to repay voters who lent them their support at the ballot box.

“The first 100 days were very busy. You may remember it was a very frenetic time. But you ain’t seen nothing yet, folks. We’re going to have to work even harder because people have a very high level of expectation and we must deliver for them.”

Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Gove, who has been in charge of no-deal planning, was asked four times if the new arrangement meant there was still a possibility of a no-deal hard Brexit, which MPs tried repeatedly in the Commons to prevent happening through legislation enacted by the Labour MP Hilary Benn.

He said: “No, the Brexit we are committed to delivering is the one in our manifesto. We need to make sure we honour that. That is a commitment we have to keep.”

The UK is due to leave the EU’s institutions on 31 January, subject to parliament’s approval, and enter a transitional phase where it will remain aligned to the EU’s single market and customs union until other arrangements are in place.

During this time it will not have any voting rights. The transition period comes to an end on 31 December 2020.

It was possible to extend it by up to two years by making a request by July but the government is scrapping that option.

Gove was asked again if the UK would still formally leave the EU if no agreement had been reached with European leaders, and said both sides knew they had to reach a deal.

He said: “We are going to leave the European Union on 31 January because of the withdrawal agreement. And then the political declaration, which goes alongside the withdrawal agreement, commits both sides to making sure that the follow-up conversations are concluded by the end of 2020.”

Asked if the government could miss this timescale with no deal in place, he said: “No. We are going to make sure we get this deal done in time.”

Accused of avoiding the question, he said: “We will get a deal and the political declaration commits both sides to that.”

The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, who is expected to run for the position of Labour party leader, criticised the government’s decision to ban another extension because it risks the UK leaving without a deal.

He said: “This is typical of the reckless and irresponsible behaviour we have come to expect from Boris Johnson’s Government. “The Tories have shown once again that they are prepared to put people’s jobs at risk in pursuit of a hard Brexit.

Gove told Radio 5 Live that their plan to legislate for Brexit to take place by the end of 2020 was a way of “keeping faith with the British public”. He said a deadline would “concentrate minds” among the EU leaders to try to secure a trade deal.