Jacob Rees-Mogg urges Tory grassroots to ‘chuck’ Theresa May’s Chequers deal
3 min read
Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg is attempting to rally opposition against Theresa May’s Chequers deal and gather support for his own Brexit position, in a letter to Conservative members.
The Tory backbencher, along with more than 60 of his pro-Brexit colleagues, has written to Conservative Associations across the country describing the Prime Minister’s plan as the "wrong deal for Britain".
The letter states: "The Government would be wrong to be fearful of Britain enjoying an independent future. Theresa May’s Chequers proposals would shackle us to the EU forever.
"We would be out of Europe yet still run by Europe. This is why the Prime Minister should “chuck Chequers” and instead seek a Canada style free trade agreement with the EU to make the most of the global opportunities that lie ahead.
"It is time the Government realised that the EU stands to lose much from no deal being agreed and stopped being cowed by the EU’s threats.
"It is time to face down vested interests in the establishment and put democracy first. Yet most of all, it is time ‘to chuck Chequers’, respect the referendum, be out of Europe, take back control and believe in Britain."
Earlier this month, Mrs May wrote to party members defending the Chequers deal – which includes plans for a free-trade area for goods governed by a common rulebook.
In the 3-page document, the Prime Minister acknowledged the “strong feelings members of our party have on this important national issue”.
But she also insisted that the UK had not conceded any ground to Brussels and argued that the plan "honours" the EU referendum result.
Elsewhere, Mr Rees-Mogg has hit back at calls from campaign group Leave.EU for Brexit supporters to join the Conservative party in order the secure a Eurosceptic leader to replace Mrs May.
The campaign group urged its supporters to “flood” the Tory party to elect a “true Brexiteer” such as Rees-Mogg or Boris Johnson as the next leader.
But the Somerset MP told the Guardian the idea was “not a good approach to running a political party and its supporters, because entryists tend to be fanatics, as the Labour party has found”.
He added: “They’re not doing it in my name. Of course I want people to join the Conservative party, but I want them to join because they support a broad swath of values…
“What the Conservative party wants is what it’s always had, which is members who are by and large already doing things in their communities – people who are running the church fete or raising money for the RNLI.
“You want being a member of the party to be a completely normal thing that sensible people do, not something that is done for one particular policy, however important that policy is. Conservatism is much broader than that.”
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