Owen Paterson MP: I have not written letter of no confidence in Theresa May
North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, one of the leading critics of the Brexit divorce deal, has not written a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
Mr Paterson was part of a delegation that went to Downing Street for evening talks with Theresa May earlier this week.
The politicians won't say what was on the agenda at the hour-long meeting, although it is understood that creating a virtual customs border between Northern Ireland and the Republic was high on the list of priorities.
Despite his criticism of the Brexit deal, Mr Paterson said: "I have not written a letter."
However he said: " The deal which the Prime Minister unveiled this week is so bad it cannot possibly proceed."
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Talking about border, the former Northern Ireland secretary said: "Far from protecting the Union, the backstop could see the creation of new internal borders within the UK in clear breach of the Belfast Agreement’s Principle of Consent. Worse, the UK would not have the unilateral right to end the arrangement, so we could be locked into it indefinitely as a permanent rule-taker with no say as those rules are made.
"Who will adjudicate the laws which we receive? The ECJ (European Court of Justice) – both during the transition period and in the potentially permanent backstop.
"This will tie the UK into EU customs, environmental, social, state aid and taxation policies. We will send the EU upwards of £39 billion for the privilege – and the ECJ will even adjudicate our payment of that."
