Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit strategy means disaster for Britain, former foreign secretary Boris Johnson said, as critics at home and officials in Brussels step up their opposition to her plans for how to leave the European Union.
With under two months before Britain and the EU want to agree a deal to end over 40 years of union, May is struggling to sell what she calls her business-friendly Brexit to her own party and across a divided country.
Johnson, who some in the governing Conservative Party favour as a potential successor to May, resigned in July in protest at the prime minister’s so-called Chequers plan.
May’s plan, which is designed to protect cross-border trade with the EU, will mean Britain loses control over its direction, preventing it from becoming more competitive and doing major trade deals with other countries, he said.
On Sunday, May sought to allay fears she would cave in to Brussels’ demands in negotiations, saying she would not allow compromises to her Brexit strategy that went against the national interest.
But the Times newspaper reported 20 of May’s Conservative lawmakers were now backing the grassroots ‘StandUp4Brexit’ campaign committing to opposing the Chequers plan. Parliament returns from its summer break on Tuesday.
May, who has pledged to give lawmakers approval of the final deal with Brussels, has a working majority of 13 members in parliament. If she loses the vote Britain could leave the EU without a deal and possibly force an early election.