Boris Johnson, pictured, has said that having to kow-tow to Brussels would be ‘undemocratic’ and ‘intolerable’
Boris Johnson has piled pressure on Theresa May by demanding that she refuses to follow any of the EU’s demands after Brexit.
The Foreign Secretary has said having to kowtow to Brussels would be ‘undemocratic’ and ‘intolerable’.
In a speech, he is set to say: ‘It is only by taking back control of our laws that UK firms and entrepreneurs will have the freedom to innovate, without the risk of having to comply with some directive devised by Brussels, at the urgings of some lobby group, with the aim of holding back a UK competitor.
‘That would be intolerable, undemocratic, and would make it all but impossible for us to do serious free trade deals.’
According to the Sun, Mr Johnson will add: ‘The British people should not have new laws affecting their everyday lives imposed from abroad, when they have no power to elect or remove those who make those laws.
‘And there is no need for us to find ourselves in any such position.’
The dramatic intervention comes as Theresa May prepares to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday as the Government steps up efforts to make progress on Brexit.
Chancellor Philip Hammond has already embarked on a Brexit charm offensive – meeting European counterparts and business leaders.
The Prime Minister’s talks with Mrs Merkel at the Chancellery in Berlin comes ahead of her speech in Munich on Saturday.
Mr Hammond is visiting European Union members Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal as part of his tour.
His first stop is Norway – which is outside the EU but is in the European Economic Area and part of the single market, a post-Brexit model rejected by Theresa May because it would not give control over laws or immigration and would require continued payments to Brussels.
The dramatic intervention comes as Theresa May (pictured) prepares to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday as the Government steps up efforts to make progress on Brexit
Chancellor Philip Hammond, pictured, has already embarked on a Brexit charm offensive – meeting European counterparts and business leaders
The tour comes as the UK prepares to reveal further details of its approach to the next phase of the Brexit process, which will focus on a transitional deal for the period after leaving the bloc in March 2019 and the future trading relationship with Brussels.
Mr Hammond said: ‘I am taking the message to Europe that, while we are leaving the EU, Britain still cares about its relationships with the countries, citizens and businesses with whom we share a close history and common values.
‘We look forward to agreeing a new, deep and special partnership with the EU that keeps our relationship growing strongly in the future.’