No-deal Brexit would be a betrayal, says Philip Hammond

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

No-deal Brexit would be a betrayal, says Philip Hammond

Chancellor’s remarks come as Tory feud grows and Lord Heseltine loses party whip

Peter Walker Political correspondent
Mon 20 May 2019 22.49 BST First published on Mon 20 May 2019 19.43 BST

The expected demise of Theresa May’s Brexit plan has sparked open feuding over what comes next, with the chancellor, Philip Hammond, arguing that proponents of a no-deal Brexit are betraying the referendum result.

The cabinet will discuss on Tuesday the final details of what Downing Street calls a “new and improved deal” to be presented to the House of Commons, expected to include reassurances on areas including the Irish backstop, workers’ rights and environmental protections.

In an indication of the turmoil gripping the party, it emerged on Monday night that the former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine has had the whip suspended after saying he would vote Liberal Democrat in Thursday’s European election.

With Conservative MPs near unanimous in saying May will lose the vote on her deal in the week starting 3 June, and Labour not minded to come to her rescue, attention is shifting to what happens when she leaves No 10, as she has promised to do soon afterwards.

Boris Johnson is the current clear favourite to succeed May but he will face intense opposition, especially if he opts to pursue a no-deal departure should negotiations with the EU on a revised Brexit plan founder.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/20/tories-scrabble-for-new-brexit-vision-in-place-of-mays-doomed-plan

[mwooldri]

1. To me Heseltine losing the Tory whip is big.

He was a prominent figure in Margaret Thatcher's cabinet, also later part of John Major's cabinet too. That he wants to vote for my party (I view myself as a Lib Dem, was a member until I left for the USA) over the Tories show that the Tories are losing the pro-EU part of their party, with the Lib Dems and Change UK being the likely beneficiaries.

[Ford_Prefect]

2. They will do anything to get to some version of Brexit so they can claim a win,

and the predicted disaster that follows will be portrayed as the fault of the opposition for refusing to facilitate Brexit on so-called better terms.

They are the carrion beasts waiting to feast on the carcasses of those whom any form of Brexit will destroy.