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Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has warned Conservative backbench “Leavers” they run the risk of the UK staying inside the European Union if they oppose Theresa May’s draft withdrawal agreement.
Mr Cairns also stated his support for the prime minister after leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg submitted a letter of no confidence in her leadership.
Asked about the wave of ministerial resignations and calls for Ms May to be ousted as prime minister, Mr Cairns said the government’s lack of a majority in parliament meant any successor would find it equally hard to satisfy all parties.
Mr Cairns said: “Changing the prime minister doesn’t change the arithmetic of Parliament, so therefore colleagues need to accept the context in which we’re working in.
“I would say to the hardliner Leavers who want to leave without a deal that they run the risk of not having a Brexit.
“And I would say to the ones who are Remainers who want to ignore the outcome of the referendum that they’re running the risk of leaving without a deal, which is the worst that each side would want.
“So this tries to bring together a pragmatic solution that takes control of our laws, our borders and our money, and on that basis we’ll be honouring the outcome of the referendum.
“We’d be an independent trading nation once again, and I suspect if David Cameron had offered this at the time he came back from European negotiations I suspect there would’ve been a massive majority for it.”
Mr Cairns admitted the draft agreement was a “compromise”, and described the “backstop” plan to prevent a hard border in Ireland as a “negative” aspect.
PA
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