Iain Duncan Smith suggests Britain could rely on World Trade Organisation rules for EU post-Brexit
Former Tory leader said we shouldn't remain in the single market if it means surrendering control to Brussels
IAIN Duncan Smith has suggested Britain could rely on World Trade Organisation rules to trade with the European Union following Brexit.
The former Conservative Party leader said the UK should not necessarily seek to remain a member of the single market as such a move would involve surrendering control to Brussels.
He also predicted the Government will trigger Article 50 early in the new year and start the formal two-year countdown to Britain leaving the EU.
Mr Duncan Smith, a prominent Brexiteer, said that European countries including Germany are eager to negotiate a trade agreement with the UK.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme: "I think we would like to have, and I think it would be in the interests of the European Union even more than it might be for the UK, to maintain a trading relationship with the UK.
"Bearing in mind that we will anyway have access to the marketplace under WTO rules, so the question really is - do we want more preferential arrangements than that?"
Asked if he would be happy with WTO rules, he said: "I'm saying that's the extent of where you could be and you'd still get access to the marketplace.
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"I've already made it clear that my personal view is we should not seek to remain a member of the customs union nor necessarily remain a full member of the single market, because that would entail putting yourself yet again under the rule of European law.
"And that was one of the key areas that the British public voted for in the process of taking back control."
If Britain does not negotiate a separate deal, its trade with the EU will revert to WTO rules.
This would mean there would be no free movement or financial contribution and no obligation to apply EU laws, but the UK and EU would be obliged to apply to each other the tariffs they apply to the rest of the world.
Mr Duncan Smith said: "Actually, if you look across the European Union, many of those countries now are quite desperate to sort out the relationship with the UK.
"For example, Germany is going through quite a difficult period right now, their manufacturers are deeply worried about what will happen afterwards, and they want to find a way to make sure that they don't end up having tariff barriers imposed on them as they export.
"That, of course, is possible to arrange even under the WTO process.
"What they want is, and we want, the bottom line is tariff-free access to the market and for them to do the same for us."
Mr Duncan Smith also downplayed reports of tensions between Boris Johnson, Liam Fox and David Davis, the three Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers who will lead on Britain's exit from the EU.
But brushing off suggestions of feuding among the three, he said: "I have spoken to them and I am definitely certain that these characters - David Davis, Liam Fox, and Boris Johnson, and the Prime Minister by the way - are very clear that they need to get on with triggering Article 50 as soon as possible early in the new year.
"When they do that, we will be bound on a course that means Britain will leave and I believe they are all very positive about the outcome that will entail. We will be out and we will do incredibly well."
