Boris Johnson tears into Theresa May’s Brexit deal calling it an ‘appalling sell-out’ as he lays out his own vision
He warned May's deal would leave UK facing colonial rule and said the Prime Minister's deal would betrayal Leavers and Remainers alike
BORIS Johnson labelled Theresa May's Brexit deal an "appalling sell-out" last night - as he revealed his own exit strategy.
The former foreign secretary said the PM was spinning either "a tragic illusion" or "an attempt at deception", in his column.
BoJo called for scrapping the Irish backstop, refusing to pay some of the £39billion divorce bill, and pushed for a 'SuperCanada' style trade deal.
His plan also wants to cherry pick the best aspects of the deal and prepare an exits on World Trade Organisation terms.
He said: "We are preparing to take colonial rule by foreign powers and courts. We are handing over colossal sums of money for nothing.
"We are giving up the hope of new free-trade deals. We are giving up the right to vary our laws.
"We are betraying Leavers and Remainers alike: we are poised to abandon any UK influence in Brussels, yet we are signally failing to take back control."
But he did not join a growing list of Tory rebels demanding a vote of no confidence in May.
He said that May's suggestion that issues with the Brexit deal can be remedied with further talks are either "a tragic illusion" or "an attempt at deception".
Boris wrote: "Of all the lies that are currently being peddled, the worst is that this agreement can somehow be remedied in the next stage of the talks.
"I have heard it said that this is like a football match, in which we are one-nil down at half-time, but as the Prime Minister suggested in her interview ... we can still pull it back and get the Brexit we want."
Boris' plan to save Brexit
- Keep some of the current agreement - but fight for the European Court of Justice NOT to oversee it
- Scrap the Northern ireland backstop and commit to no hard border in Northern Ireland - instead creating new checks away from it
- Ramp up preparations for leaving on World Trade Organisation terms - with a new secretary of state responsible for it
- Agree that EU and UK embarking on giant free-trade deal based on 'Super Canada'
- Withold at least half of the £39billion until EU trade deal agreed - using implementation period to get it right
- Insist ministers get behind Brexit and show confidence and enthusiasm in quitting the EU
"I am afraid this is either a tragic illusion or an attempt at deception ... we are about to give the EU the right to veto our departure from the customs union."
Theresa May will today go on the attack over her Brexit plan, using a speech to say that the withdrawal agreement has been "agreed in full" as her own MPs press for late changes.
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Less than a week before a European Council summit, where EU leaders are due to rubber stamp the Prime Minister's deal, she is braced for fresh attacks from inside and outside her own party.
She will also address immigration, saying: "Instead of a system based on where a person is from, we will have one that is built around the talents and skills a person has to offer."
May's leadership is under question as more MPs send in letters of no confidence in her leadership - with both Boris and ex-Brexit boss Dominic Raab waiting in the wings to take over if she falls.
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