Several cabinet ministers have privately expressed dismay at the fate of May’s Chequers proposals and are understood to be advocating a move towards a Canada-style trade deal. One cabinet source said: “Chequers in its present form is a non-starter for the EU so it’s time for us to look at the alternatives. He also makes plain his contention that the Chequers plan contains no workable idea for the Ireland-Northern Ireland border. On the remain side of the Conservatives, the former education secretary Justine Greening called the Chequers plan “more unpopular than the poll tax”, saying May should start again from scratch. Then, 10 days later, the Conservative conference could show the Chequers plan is holed below the waterline.

Source: The Guardian September 23, 2018 19:38 UTC