Theresa May admits she harbours ‘concerns’ over Brexit deal’s Irish backstop agreement
Theresa May admitted she has concerns over her Brexit deal’s strategy to avoid a hard border in Ireland as she resisted calls to step down as Prime Minister on LBC today.
A string of MPs have resigned so far over her Brexit withdrawal agreement, which puts the UK in a temporary customs union with the EU in order to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The UK cannot quit this so-called Irish backstop by itself, but only in agreement with the EU.
During the half-hour phone-in, May said she believed with “every fibre of my being” that the draft withdrawal agreement she agreed with EU negotiators is the best option for the UK.
But she added: “There’s fears about the backstop and I fully recognise that and I have some of those concerns myself.”
But after ministerial and MP resignations rocked Downing Street and the value of sterling yesterday, May said the Cabinet must bear “collective responsibility” for the deal it backed following a five-hour meeting on Wednesday, suggesting ministers won’t get a free vote when it comes to parliament before Christmas.
“We are finalising the deal with the EU on 25 November we will then bring that deal back to parliament and then it’s time for MPs to do their job and ask themselves, ‘is this a good deal for my constituents?’” she told host Nick Ferrari.
Environment secretary Michael Gove, who turned down the role of Brexit secretary yesterday, was also on the verge of resigning this morning, according to the BBC.
He would follow other cabinet ministers Dominic Raab, who quit as Brexit secretary, and work and pensions secretary Esther McVey.
A string of other MPs have also quit, including Conservatives vice chairman Rehman Chishti and Nikki Da Costa, Downing Street’s director of legislative affairs.
May said: “I don’t want to see any of my cabinet colleagues resign. I’m very sorry that both Dom and Esther felt they needed to leave the cabinet, they have done great work.”
While she told LBC that she had had a “good conversation” with Gove yesterday, she declined to comment on the possibility of him quitting.
“I want all of my colleagues in cabinet to feel they can continue to do the excellent job they are doing,” she said.
She also said Northern Ireland’s DUP was still the confidence and supply partner helping her minority government get votes through parliament, despite leader Arlene Foster’s concerns over Northern Ireland being tied to EU rules under May’s Brexit arrangement.
“We have had exchanges with the DUP about the issue relating to Northern Ireland, they have raised questions and concerns with us and yes we are looking at those,” she added.