Revelation that ministers realise Brexit a mistake – Farron responds

Revelation that ministers realise Brexit a mistake - Farron responds

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has seized on revelations from Ireland's top Brexit official that the British government now realises Brexit is a mistake.

John Callinan, the Republic's most senior Brexit official, is quoted as saying that British ministers now recognise privately that Brexit is "an act of great self-harm", and that their strategy has become one of "minimising that self-harm". From his frequent exchanges with British ministers and officials, Callinan also reveals that the Conservative government is deeply divided on Brexit.

Tim Farron said:

"These reports confirm what many of us have suspected. The Liberal Democrats have warned from the get go that Brexit is a monumental act of self-harm.

"The Chancellor is clearly terrified as he wonders how on earth he can possibly fill an estimated £200bn Brexit black hole in the UK economy over the next 15 years.

"The scandal is why Theresa May is still blindly pursuing a hard Brexit when she knows the evidence is now overwhelming that you can't have a hard Brexit and a successful economy, or the decent public services that rely on wealth creation.

"The question now is whether Theresa May is prepared to do the right thing and face down the Brexit ultras in her cabinet. That is the only way she can keep Britain open, tolerant and united."

Link to story in The Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/british-government-realises-brexit-is-a-mistake-official-says-1.3048046