Owen Paterson, Britain's former environment minister, warns Prime Minister Theresa May of dangerous consequences if she pushes her Brexit plans through. Paterson told Business Insider.
Paterson, who is campaigning for a hard Brexit, told Business Insider May's Checkers plan to leave the European Union (EU) is undermining public trust in courts, media and commercial institutions.
He does not rule out social unrest if her plan is implemented. "There will be a wave of protests through society, especially with modern means of communication. People will be really angry." Asked if there will also be social unrest, he said: "I don't know how people pick it up, but it's going to be a shocking disillusionment. It could get very dangerous."
The plan provides that the United Kingdom (UK) will remain part of the internal European market for goods, but will no longer participate in the free movement of persons, services and capital. A 'soft Brexit'. The former minister for Northern Ireland issued his warning at the conference of the Conservative Party, where he takes a leading role in resisting the Prime Minister's plans.
- Owen Paterson
Close chords independently
The former minister said that around 80 Conservative MPs would vote against the plan. Many believe that the Checkers plan keeps the UK too closely tied to the EU. According to them, the UK would not be able to conclude trade agreements with other countries independently in this way.
"It's madness to pursue this," Paterson said. According to him, British officials have not yet fully fleshed out the implementation of crucial parts of the plan, such as the proposed new VAT system. The proposed 'general regulations' with the EU would also hinder the United Kingdom in making its own legislation.
"We chose together to leave the EU. We also chose to leave the internal market, the customs union and the European Court of Justice. If you start with that general regulation nonsense, you don't live up to it Paterson said in his speech.
Irish border issue
However, May went on to emphasize that the plan is a compromise to resolve the Irish border issue on the one hand, and to push the plan in its entirety through parliament (with party-wide support) on the other.
However, that will be difficult, because the opposition to her plan is unusually fierce. Her party members have also been talking openly for weeks about her deposition.
Read more on Business Insider:
- Brits consider keeping borders with the EU open.
- With Brexit we will exchange a star dinner for a bag of chips
- 10 reasons startups fail
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