Former Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has backed the Chancellor’s plan for a transitional Brexit deal describing it as “a plan to rescue Brexit from an approaching disaster."
Lord Hague’s article in the Daily Telegraph has been covered extensively by the media. His comments are fully supported by North West MEP Sajjad Karim who said:
“When William Hague speaks people listen. They listen because he is unique in that having held public office at the highest level; he is respected cross political Party and internationally.
“Hague has been consistent in his view that the UK is better off as a member of the EU. The only thing that has changed is that he has become increasingly concerned about the manner in which our government is approaching the task of negotiating our exit.
“I agree totally with his position. Neither William nor I wanted to see a Leave vote in last year's referendum, but although a close vote, we both accept the democratic outcome. However, the devil is in the detail and in the year since the referendum and the 4 months since Article 50 was invoked, we have seen nothing from our EU negotiations that can give any hope to those who want to see a truly negotiated deal that will give the UK the best possible outcome in the circumstances.
“His warnings have become increasingly stark until, speaking out in the media today, he has clearly spelt out why, and continuing to travel on this current path will be a "disaster" for the UK.
“Hague supports the Chancellor's proposal for a 3 year interim period of transition as our best hope of salvaging something positive from this ridiculous mess we are in, as indeed I do. Yet within days of Hammond's announcement we now have a statement on behalf of the a Prime Minister contradicting this position, giving the impression that divisions within the Cabinet are growing and the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.
“We are fast becoming a laughing stock both at home and abroad and continuing down this path will see the hardest possible Brexit with no deal. We are already seeing large businesses planning to move jobs to mainland Europe and the overall negative effects of leaving the zeal with no deal will see the UK become the "sick man of Europe" again with immediate effect post Brexit.
“Talking to people across my North West constituency, across the UK and from ordinary folk to large companies, I am picking up a change in mind set. Many who voted to Leave, having now seen where this path is taking us and the resulting economic disaster, are changing their minds.
“I know that as an MEP who supported remains in the EU, whilst sharing the exact same views as William, my voice will get little hearing. So now, perhaps more than ever before in the 30 years that he has been serving his country, people need to listen to Lord Hague and trust his judgement. His parliamentary colleagues, our Government and Cabinet and most importantly the electors of the UK, please just open your ears!”
Read more from William Hague here: https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/87962/…