A veteran Tory MP has called for Boris Johnson to stand down as Prime Minister if he fails to secure a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU.
His comments come as it is hard to imagine a Brexit deal which would be “sufficient for Scotland”, the country’s Constitution Secretary has said.
Mike Russell said a deal would be better than the “complete disruption” of no deal but described Brexit as “utter folly”.
Roger Gale
Thanet North MP Sir Roger Gale made the dramatic intervention as last ditch negotiations continued between London and Brussels on the issue.
Sir Roger told the PA news agency: “If an acceptable deal is not agreed then the Prime Minister will have failed. I believe his position would then be untenable.
“Then an honourable man would make way for somebody else to give the country the leadership it needs.
“That is precisely what David Camron did when he failed to win the referendum.”
Internal Market Bill
Sir Roger, who was one of only two Tory MPs to vote against the UK Internal Market Bill, said an acceptable deal would see “imaginative ideas” regarding trade and fisheries, but he did not want an erosion of sovereignty.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma insisted that voters will be able to give their verdict on the Government’s handling of Brexit at the next general election, currently due in 2024.
He rejected a call from Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan to promise to resign if a no-deal outcome turns into a catastrophe for the UK in the next two years.
Mr Sharma told the ITV show: “We have general elections in this country and we are all accountable to the electorate at every general election.
“The people will be able to make their own decisions.”
The Business Secretary again insisted that the UK would “prosper” under World Trade Organisation terms, which would see tariffs and quotas imposed on exports to the UK’s largest trading partner.
Pro-leave MPs
The Prime Minister is also facing pressure from staunchly pro-Leave Tory MPs to stand firm in negotiations with the EU.
Tory former cabinet minister Sir John Redwood insisted a no deal outcome would see Britain taking back control of its interests.
Writing on the ConservativeHome website, Sir John said: “No deal would be a good outcome for the UK.
“It would mean that we take back control of our borders, our money, our laws and our fish, as promised by the Leave campaign.
“The deals on offer from the EU fall well short of improving on no deal.”
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