Steve Baker, a Minister at the Department for Exiting the European Union
At least 40 lawmakers in Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party are willing to vote down her possible Brexit deal if it leaves the United Kingdom 'half in and half out' of the European Union, a senior rebel lawmaker said on Tuesday.
"My estimate is that there are at least 40 colleagues who are not going to accept a 'half in, half out' Chequers deal or indeed a backstop that leaves us in the internal market and the customs union," lawmaker Steve Baker told BBC radio.
"Colleagues will not tolerate a half in, half out Brexit," said Baker, who served as a junior Brexit minister in May's government until he resigned in protest at her Brexit proposals.
Britain cannot agree a withdrawal deal with the European Union without securing a precise framework for their future relationship, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday."There can be no withdrawal agreement without a precise future framework," he told reporters.Britain and the EU will resume talks this week on the detail of Britain's withdrawal from the bloc and on its future relationship. EU leaders will meet next week to try to conclude a deal but any final agreement may have to wait until a special meeting in November.Thousands of German firms sought advice on BrexitAfter more positive comments from the EU over the Brexit negotiations, the spokesman said there was a difference between optimistic talk about a deal being done and getting an agreement, again calling on the bloc to move its position."It's worth me pointing out that there's a difference between people talking optimistically about a deal, and a deal including both the withdrawal agreement and the future framework, actually being agreed," he said."There remain big issues to work through."UK welcome to join Pacific trade deal, Japanese PM says
No divorce without precise future framework: spokesman for UK's May
Thousands of German businesses sought advice in recent weeks on how to prepare for Britain's exit from the European Union in a sign they are "highly uneasy", the head of the DIHK Chambers of Industry and Commerce was cited as saying on Monday.DIHK President Eric Schweitzer told the Passauer Neue Presse newspaper that it was more important than ever for German firms to prepare for the different possible forms of Brexit, adding of the negotiations: "The cat and mouse game is never ending."Britain is due to leave the EU in March, but talks on managing the unprecedented split have been stalled over differences on how to avoid border checks between EU member Ireland and Britain's province of Northern Ireland.To help its members prepare for Brexit, the DIHK has produced a "Brexit Checklist" that addresses questions including customs duties, contracts and taxes."More than 11,000 downloads (of the checklist) in recent weeks shows that companies are highly uneasy," Schweitzer said in comments published in the Passauer Neue Presse on Monday.Brexiteers set limit for UK PM Theresa May's trade deal with EUUK welcome to join Pacific trade deal, Japanese PM says
Thousands of German firms sought advice on Brexit