15:59 – British government blocks criticism of post-Brexit plan

Under the fire of corporate and parliamentary critics, up to its own majority, the British government continued to defend on Sunday its proposal for a close post-Brexit trade relationship with the EU, respecting the "collective responsibility" imposed by Prime Minister Theresa May

After the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the British executive wants to set up a free trade zone and a new customs model with the 27, in order to maintain a trade " without friction "with the mainland.

This proposal, which was presented on Friday and still needs to be negotiated with Brussels, was firmly rejected in an open letter written by the founder of the Innocent Beverage brand, Richard Reed, and signed by a hundred entrepreneurs and business leaders, including those of Pret, Domino's or Yo! Sushi (agri-food), Zoopla (real estate) or Net-a-porter (clothing distribution)

"The cost, complexity and bureaucracy of leaving the customs union and adopting alternative arrangements are the last thing our businesses need," they warn.

"This amounts to an attempt by the government to tie the hands of British companies," they lament, demanding that the United Kingdom be kept in the EU customs union.

The Philips group, which employs 1,500 people in the United Kingdom, announced to study a possible closure of its factory in Glemsford (South East of England).

– "cowardice" of the government –

"We estimate that the costs of our exported products will increase significantly in any scenario that does not maintain the customs union "with the EU, justified the Director General Frans van Houten.

Before Philips, the groups Airbus, BMW or Jaguar have already warned the British authorities in recent days on the the economic consequences of leaving the single market

Several Conservative MPs have also been very critical of the government's proposal

"By cowardice this government is not leading us in the right direction ", said Lord Phillip Lee. "This is neither in the interest of our people, nor in that of the country."

"There are many questions, a lot of discontent, a lot of worries," lamented his colleague Bill Cash on Sky News. "The question is + will it allow a real Brexit?"

For Conservative MP Iain Ducan Smith, the government proposal does not allow the European customs union and the single market to be abandoned, unlike the promise made by Theresa May to take the United Kingdom out of these two platforms.

– A "phony" plan –

"I am afraid that the government will suffer the consequences in the next elections", he pointed out in the Sunday Telegraph

In the opposition, Brexit Labor Party spokesman Keir Starmer blasted Theresa May's plan, dubbed "phony."

"The Arrangement the heart of the proposal is based on the idea that you can distinguish at the border the goods that remain in the UK and those that go to the EU, "he said on the BBC. "It's unfeasible, it will be a bureaucratic nightmare."

To counter the criticism, Downing Street held meetings with conservative politicians over the weekend to explain the details of his project. Theresa May will meet with all Tory MPs on Monday evening.

Ministers continued to defend their proposal, respecting the unity directive imposed Friday by Prime Minister Theresa May, which ended free expression personal opinions on the Brexit of members of the government

While Philip Hammond (Finance) and Chris Grayling (Transport) have signed a tribune in the Sunday Telegraph, Eurosceptic Michael Gove, in charge of the environment, has estimated on the BBC that the plan allowed for a "perfect balance", maintaining trade in goods while allowing the service sector to "diverge".

"I am realistic," he said, questioned to find out if the plan met all his hopes. "In politics, you must not do the best for the good."