Shropshire MPs urge May to re-negotiate Brexit deal

MPs had been due to vote on the EU draft withdrawal agreement this afternoon, but Theresa May called off the vote, saying it would be "would be rejected by a significant margin".

She said MPs backed much of the deal she has struck with the EU but there was concern over the so-called Northern Ireland 'backstop' arrangement, which would see the province remain in the single European market if a trade deal could not be agreed.

But she said she believed she could still get the deal through if she addressed their concerns. She said she would be speaking to EU leaders ahead of a summit later this week.

WTO terms

But North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson said Mrs May should now drop her withdrawal plan and immediately start negotiations for a Canada-style free-trade deal, while simultaneously making plans to leave the EU on World Trade Organisation terms.

Mr Paterson said: "She should drop the withdrawal agreement, it's clear she can't get it through the House of Commons, and go back to the EU and ask for the Canada-plus deal that was offered by President Tusk and Michel Barnier, which floundered over the issue of the Northern Ireland border.

"We have a clear solution to the Irish border, which we have taken to Michel Barnier.

"She should also prepare for an exit on World Trade terms, because the time is so tight for getting a trade deal, you aren't going to get it through by the end of March.

"She was very unwise to try to press the withdrawal agreement which totally fails to deliver the Leave vote, as voted for by 7.4 million people, which was defined in the party manifesto as leaving the single market, leaving the customs union, and leaving the European Court of Justice."

Blackmail

Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski said Mrs May should now head to Brussels and either secure further concessions from the EU, or prepare to leave the EU without a deal.

He accused the EU of trying to blackmail Britain, and said it was wrong to hand over £39 billion of taxpayers' money without any guarantee of a trade deal.

"I'm not surprised the vote has been postponed, it didn't look like the Government had any alternative, there's so much overwhelming opposition," he said.

"The Prime Minister has to go back to Brussels and say to them that they have to get rid of the Northern Ireland backstop.

"Both the British and Irish governments have said there's no interest in putting a hard border on the border.

"Under the withdrawal agreement there was a guaranteed £39 billion being handed over before we get a trade agreement.

"If the EU isn't prepared to understand we are not prepared to back down on this, we will have to leave the EU without an agreement, and then as an independent third state begin negotiations with them."

Mr Kawczynski said the Attorney General had told him that the amount the UK was legally obliged to give to the EU was just £8 billion, and it would be unacceptable for the UK to hand over nearly five times that amount with nothing guaranteed in return.

"It's a ludicrous proposition to expect us to support handing over £39 billion for a possibility of a 'maybe' or some sort of hope.

"There are schools in Shropshire with leaking roofs, and that are having to hold barbecues in the summer to raise money for pieces of equipment. How are they are expecting us to hand over £39 billion of British taxpayers' money without a guarantee at the end of it?"

'Fewer benefits than EU membership'

Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, also said the Prime Minister should go back to the EU and demand a better deal.

But he said it would take more than concessions on the so-called Northern Ireland 'backstop' arrangement, where Northern Ireland would remain in the single European market if a trade deal was not agreed.

"The current deal unbelievably has even fewer benefits than our current EU membership," he said.

"It also does not deliver Brexit on any of the Prime Minister's key promises on taking back control of our laws, borders and money.

"She needs to go back to Brussels and re-negotiate."