'We are heading for Brexit light' Michael Portillo claims Brexiteers have 'LOST GROUND'
BREXITEERS have lost ground on the customs union as the government leans towards a policy of a customs arrangement when they leave the European Union, claims Michael Portillo.
Michael Portillo told Andrew Neil on BBC’s This Week: “I thought it was rather a significant week because I think there’s been a movement on Brexit which is that the common ground is that there is going to be some sort of customs arrangement.
“It is going to be pretty close to the customs union.
“It is going to last not only through the transition period but also beyond the transition period.”
BBC
We are heading for a Brexit Light
On Thursday the Prime Minister, Theresa May reiterated the UK would be leaving both the customs union and single market post-Brexit.
Mr Portillo added: “Northern Ireland is, I am sorry to say this, the tail that wags the dog, this has become the dominant factor.
“The Brexiteers have lost an enormous amount of ground.
“It has happened over a period but it has become very very clear in the last week.
“So actually I think there is a policy emerging in the government and it is going to be jolly close to the customs union.
“We are heading for a Brexit Light.”
The Irish border issue continues to be Brexit's biggest challenge, with the UK and EU yet to agree on anything other than no hard border must emerge.
Brexiteer ministers had urged Prime Minister Theresa May to pursue a plan for "maximum facilitation" – known as “MacFac” – which involved using a series of complex technologies and a trusted trader scheme to ensure customs checks on the Irish border are kept to an absolute minimum.