Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has said he is confident of a Brexit deal by this autumn. Mr Raab addressed MPs on the latest negotiations on Tuesday evening, making the bold claim.
Speaking at the House of Commons, Mr Raab said the final few weeks of talks are always going to be tough but that was all the more reason for the UK to hold our nerve.
He added: I remain confident we will reach a deal this autumn, saying it is time for the EU to match the pragmatism we have shown.
Labour’s shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer argued against Mr Raab’s claim however, saying the statement would have been much better coming from the Prime Minister.
He said: It’s no good hiding behind the badge of the Salzburg summit as informal.
Mr Raab also categorically ruled out an indefinite customs union to resolve Irish border difficulties in the Brexit talks, amid Tory warnings over the Government’s gung-ho approach to no deal.
He told MPs that talks with the EU have intensified in recent weeks and the two sides are closing in on workable solutions to all of the key outstanding issues before urging Brussels to match the UK’s ambitions and pragmatism.
Sir Keir also asked Mr Raab to rule out a vague or blind Brexit, adding: No government has the right to plunge the country into chaos as a result of its own failure.
Time is running out but there is still time to change course and I urge the Secretary of State to do so.
He suggested Sir Keir had almost become the prince of process given his questions before accusing Labour’s leadership of having trashed their promise at the last election to deliver on Brexit.
Labour MP Christopher Leslie, former shadow chancellor, asked if Mr Raab was ruling out a blind Brexit and we will have full details of that trade relationship for the future.
First of all there’s no question of some kind of blindfolded Brexit, Mr Raab said, going on to insist the withdrawal agreement would contain substance and detail on the future relationship.
He said: We want to make sure in the political declaration on the future relationship that we have enough detail and enough of substance so that this House and the country at large can understand the choice of the model of economic and security cooperation that we’re going to be pursuing.