Boris Johnson left out in the cold on Brexit by Theresa May after calling her customs plan ‘crazy’ as PM divides up squabbling Cabinet
BORIS Johnson has been frozen out of formulating Brexit policy by Theresa May after he called her preferred customs plan “crazy”.
The Prime Minister has reportedly divided up her squabbling Cabinet to discuss the two options for dealing with trade with the EU once we exit the bloc next year.
Ministers were deadlocked at a crunch meeting last week on whether to go with Mrs May’s “customs partnership” idea.
Or to go for the maximum facilitation method – known as “max-fac” – favoured by Brexiteers, as the Government searches for a solution to maintaining trade and a frictionless border in Ireland.
But while most of the ministers in Mrs May’s so-called “Brexit war Cabinet” have been split into two teams to work on the different solutions – the Foreign Secretary, along with Chancellor Philip Hammond, have not been put on either.
Both are divisive figures among ministers, with Mr Hammond known to be in favour of a much softer Brexit than many others are willing to accept.
And Mr Johnson sparked anger this week after saying the PM’s customs partnership option — where Britain would collect taxes on behalf of the EU — would create “a whole new web of bureaucracy”.
He said: “It’s totally untried and would make it very, very difficult to do free trade deals.”
Adding that collecting tariffs for Brussels was “not taking back control of your trade policy, it’s not taking back control of your laws", he said the system was “crazy”.
Mrs May did not rebuke him over his extraordinary comments, but appears to have taken revenge by cutting him out of the loop on customs.
Customs partnership vs max-fac : What is the Cabinet row about?
THERESA May has pledged to leave the EU’s customs union, which allows for tariff-free trade in the bloc, after we leave – but she and her ministers are deadlocked on what to replace it with.
Here are the two main options up for discussion:
A ‘customs partnership’
The favoured model of the Prime Minister, it is a hybrid system which would see the UK collecting tariffs on imports on the EU’s behalf.
It would mean Britain would have to keep on top of the final destination of goods arriving from outside the EU, as well as make sure they are to the Brussels standard.
Supporters say it would allow for a frictionless border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
But Brexiteers say the proposal is unworkable – with Boris Johnson labelling it ‘crazy’ – and would prevent the UK from being able to negotiate free trade deals around the world after we leave.
Maximum facilitation
Known as ‘max-fac’ it would take us further outside the grasp of the EU and allow us to strike deals of our own.
But it would mean more bureaucracy at the borders, including in Northern Ireland as tariffs are applied on goods moving across.
The Brexiteers who favour it say they would use technological advances to smooth any problems, along with giving some shipping firms ‘trusted status’ to avoid any friction.
Remainer ministers like Greg Clark say it will harm trade, while some suggest it may breach the Good Friday Agreement, and has been dismissed by the EU.
Today it was revealed Liam Fox, the trade secretary, Michael Gove, the environment secretary, and David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister, are working on the customs partnership model.
Meanwhile Greg Clark, the business secretary, David Davis, the Brexit secretary, and Karen Bradley, the Northern Ireland secretary, will look at the “max-fac” model.
They will report back ahead of another meeting of the war cabinet, although a final decision could be postponed until later this month.
A senior government source told the that Mrs May was now not wedded to either option and was “interested in what works”.
It comes as a former Attorney General called on Mr Johnson to resign for undermining his boss.
Dominic Grieve said: “The prime minister has a difficult task and I don’t think it’s helped by this tendency of the foreign secretary to express himself.
“If you are making policies through speeches that are contradicting some of the policy development your colleagues are embarked on, you are destroying collective responsibility.
“And, ultimately, you will utterly undermine the ability to provide democratic governance. That’s what he’s doing – and he shouldn’t do it.”
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Speaking to the he added: “If he continues doing it, what he does is make government impossible. I think it’s a profound mistake and hugely damaging.
“If you don’t like a policy, you leave the government. That’s what you should do. If there are problems, you either accept them or you have to go. That’s your choice.”
Pressed on whether he thought Mr Johnson should resign: “He should resign. Yes.”