Philip Hammond hits back at Tory Brexiteers amid fresh round of Tory in-fighting
3 min read
Philip Hammond has accused Tory Brexiteers of threatening Britain's economy as the Tory civil war over Europe continues to rumble on.
The Chancellor insisted the Government would pursue a "middle way" as it negotiates Britain's exit from the EU, in an apparent rebuke to those demanding a clean break.
He also insisted he retained "confidence" in Theresa May, despite mounting speculation that she could face a leadership challenge.
Mr Hammond was slapped down by Downing St yesterday after sparking fury by claiming in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos that leaving the EU would mean only “modest changes” to the UK's relationship with the continent.
Defending his remarks in an interview with Sky News, he said: "There are people on both sides of this argument who do not support us in our intention to deliver the Brexit that the British people have mandated in a pragmatic way that protects British businesses and British jobs.
“There are people that want us to stay in the EU customs union, we reject that argument. There are people that want us to sever our trade links to Europe and give up this market, we reject their arguments too.
"We’ve got to stick to the middle way, which is negotiating the maximum access we can get to European markets compatible with the red lines that we’ve already set out about repatriating control over our laws, our borders and our money."
He also dismissed suggestions of a rift with Mrs May, saying: "I haven’t spoken to the PM since yesterday. What Downing St did was point out, quite rightly, that leaving the EU and leaving the customs union and leaving the single market are indeed very significant changes, I absolutely agree with that."
Asked by ITV News whether disgruntled Eurosceptics could topple the Prime Minister, Mr Hammond replied: “No.”
“I would say to my colleagues, stick with the Prime Minister, she is doing this in a very careful and methodical way,” he said.
“She’s navigating a very tricky, difficult negotiation process. We have to get an implementation period agreed then we have to negotiate the best possible deal for Britain.
“I have confidence in the Prime Minister to deliver that and I would urge them to get behind her.”
FREELANCING
Meanwhile, Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg - chair of the backbench European Research Group - accused Mr Hammond of "undermining the Prime Minister".
"It is of the utmost urgency that he should unite his position with that of the Prime Minister and with that of the Conservative Party. I think a little bit of freelancing in Davos is very unhelpful.
"I think 10 Downing Street’s clarification is effectively a stern word, it’s clearly an implied rebuke from the Prime Minister, but it’s a matter for the Prime Minister if she has confidence in him."
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