Shropshire MP Owen Paterson reveals his ‘boring’ Brexit plan
North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson cemented his role as a key Brexiteer today as he lined up alongside Jacob Rees Mogg to call for 'common sense' solutions.
He outlined his vision of how the problem with the Irish border could be resolved when Britain leaves the European Union.
Mr Paterson, who was Northern Ireland Secretary in David Cameron's government, said there was no need whatsoever for customs checks to be introduced at the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Speaking at the launch of the European Research Group's alternative to the Prime Minister's Chequers plan, Mr Paterson said there was already a border between the two countries for tax, VAT, excise and currency purposes.
He said this had been successfully managed for many years through 'administrative and technical tools', and there was no reason why this could not continue.
"People have an old fashioned view of borders, they seem to involve a man in a tricorn hat stopping the carriage and putting a ladle in the treacle," he said.
"Borders don't work like that any more."
Mr Paterson pointed out that just 3.4 per cent of goods produced in Northern Ireland were exported to mainland European Union markets.
Sixty-five per cent was sold within Northern Ireland itself, 20.3 per cent within Great Britain and 4.9 per cent within the Republic of Ireland. It would be completely unnecessary to introduce physical customs barriers for such a small amount of goods, he said.
Mr Paterson said there was nothing in the proposals which hadn't already been tried successfully before, but said the group was publishing the paper to 'help' the Government and the EU.
"There is nothing new in this document, it is actually quite boring," said Mr Paterson. "There is nothing in it that would pose a threat to the European Union."
He also said that the overwhelming share of the Republic of Ireland's trade with the UK was with Great Britain rather than Northern Ireland, so it was in the Republic's interest to ensure friction-free trade with the mainland.
The report said that most trade between the north and the south of Ireland involved regular shipments of the same goods, which was well suited to technical solutions and simplified procedures that were already available.
Certificates of conformity could be issued on the exporters' own premises, and inspected at their destination, he said.
Mr Paterson said by agreeing to common regulations with the EU regarding agricultural products, the present 'smooth movement' could continue, without the need for border posts.
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Co-operation between both countries to tackle smuggling could continue either side of the moment as it does at the moment, adding that in February this year eight million illicit cigarettes were seized in Belfast.
The European Research Group is a eurosceptic organisation within the Conservative Party, which was founded by Sir Michael Spicer in 1993.
Its chairman is Mr Rees Mogg, who fronted today's policy announcement, and Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski is a registered user of its research work. Earlier this year, Telford MP Lucy Allan also signed a letter from the group urging Theresa May to stick by the principles outlined in her Lancaster House speech regarding Brexit.
The report is highly critical of Theresa May's Chequers deal, saying it would require the UK to enforce export standards in which it had no say.
"The Chequers paper accepts this, but states that the UK should be consulted as EU rules are changed," it said. "A sovereign state merely being 'consulted' on the rules imposed on it is not taking back control."
It was reported that around 50 MPs discussed ways of getting rid of removing Prime Minister Theresa May at a meeting of the ERG on Tuesday night.
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant, who attended the meeting, played down the threat to the Prime Minister.
"Reports of Theresa May's demise are greatly exaggerated," he said. "Of the 40-50 there, only five to six people discussed letters to the chairman of the 1922 and they wrote ages ago," he said.
"The rest of us sat in uncomfortable silence, though most are unhappy with Chequers."
