‘Remain’ and ‘Leave’ is no longer the basis of the divide over Brexit, says the Daily Telegraph. Instead, the new split is over to what extent post-Brexit Britain should ‘mirror what the EU does on trade and services’ or whether the UK should ‘plough its own furrow in the world’. 18 months on from the referendum, this key debate has not been ‘addressed by the Government’. ‘Convergers’ – those who want Britain’s trade arrangements to remain broadly in line with the status quo – ‘have the upper hand’ at the moment, says the Telegraph. Philip Hammond has confirmed this with his vow for Britain to maintain, at least in the transition period, ‘an environment which will effectively replicate the current status quo’. But this prospect worries some Leavers who fear that a ’transition phase will turn into something longer-term, with convergence eventually winning over divergence’. Boris Johnson spoke up for the ‘divergers’ yesterday in his interview with the Sunday Times, in which he said ‘that failure to ditch EU law would make Britain a ‘vassal state’. Instead, the foreign secretary envisages a ‘liberal Brexit’ in which the UK will have ‘maximum freedom to diverge from Brussels’ laws’. It remains worryingly unclear how these ‘two conflicting visions can be reconciled’, concludes the Telegraph.
The Sun meanwhile praises Theresa May for insisting that Britain should be free to negotiate trade deals during the Brexit transition period. On this subject, the paper also has a word of caution for the PM though: ‘we must not cave in’. The Sun also says the same applies to the Brexit divorce bill, insisting that Britain should ‘not pay a penny’ without a free trade deal in return. The warning signs are already there that the EU might not cede to such demands, with Michel Barnier warning yesterday that ‘there is “no way” we will get such a bespoke deal.’. Yet earlier this year, according to the Sun, Barnier ‘admitted he would have an “explosive” situation on his hands if the EU was forced to cancel programmes funded by us’. The Prime Minister should ‘call his bluff’, says the paper. It’s vital, too, that May keeps a firm line that Britain will leave the single market. This, after all, is crucial for ending free movement which has ‘suppressed wages and strained our public services.’. In the place of this outdated immigration policy, Britain will then be ‘able to import the best and brightest migrants with the skills our economy needs’, suggests the Sun, which concludes its editorial by pointing out that after a disastrous six months, few thought May would make it to Christmas. ‘She has proved them wrong’. But now the hard work for the PM begins: ‘Now she has the chance to show how she will make a success of Brexit. Don’t let us down, PM,’ concludes the paper.
Comments