Remainer Ken Clarke agrees to back Theresa May's 'dog's breakfast' Brexit deal

Remainer Ken Clarke agrees to back Theresa May’s Brexit deal – despite calling it a ‘bit of a dog’s breakfast’

Pro-European Tory veteran Ken Clarke gave PM a boost by supporting Brexit deal
Former chancellor said the Prime Minister’s deal was ‘a bit of a dog’s breakfast’
But he told BBC2’s Newsnight backing it was better than risking a no-deal Brexit

By Daniel Martin Policy Editor For The Daily Mail

Published: 00:34 GMT, 22 November 2018 | Updated: 00:36 GMT, 22 November 2018

The pro-European Tory veteran Ken Clarke gave Theresa May a boost by announcing he will support her Brexit withdrawal agreement in Parliament.

The former chancellor told BBC2’s Newsnight that the Prime Minister’s deal was ‘a bit of a dog’s breakfast’ – but backing it was better than risking a no-deal Brexit.

The grandee said it delivered continuity for business and laid the ground for critical future trade negotiations with Europe.

Support from the Conservative Party’s most high-profile Remain supporter could persuade other MPs such as Nicky Morgan and Anna Soubry to follow suit. Last night another pro-European Tory MP, former minister Nick Boles, said he would follow Mr Clarke and support the deal.

Mr Clarke told the programme on Tuesday night: ‘I will support the deal because at least it gets us through to the transition… and then we can decide what our future economic relations are.

Ken Clarke gave Theresa May a boost by announcing he will support her Brexit withdrawal agreement in Parliament

‘It’s a bit of a dog’s breakfast. I think if she hadn’t made so many efforts to appease she could have got a slightly better one.

‘We could have just stayed in the single market and customs unions on the date of withdrawal before we go into the big negotiations on what the long-term aim is, but I will settle for this.’

He also hit out at the holding of referendums in the first place, describing them ‘as a silly way of running a modern country.’

Mr Clarke later told Sky News: ‘It keeps the borders as they are, it keeps everything continuous for British business, industry and investment and it paves the way for the transition period, because the serious negotiations start now really, about what are the long-term arrangements going to be, which will affect all our children and grandchildren.’

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss also took to the airwaves to make the case for the deal, telling Tory MPs they face a choice between Mrs May’s Brexit deal – or not leaving the EU at all.

She told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Emma Barnett Show: ‘I am very, very worried about what the alternative looks like, because I’m a democrat. I believe that people voted in good faith to leave the EU and we need to deliver that.’

Miss Truss said she was ‘confident we’ve got a good deal to send before Parliament’.