Time to go: Owen Paterson says Theresa May should quit now
North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson has called on Theresa May to bring forward her resignation date, saying she has failed to deliver Brexit as promised.
Former cabinet minister Owen Paterson said Britain would now be out of the EU had she not persisted with her failed withdrawal agreement, and it was now time to look for fresh leadership.
The North Shropshire MP spoke after the withdrawal agreement part of the Prime Minister’s deal was defeated by a majority of 58 in the Commons on Friday.
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“She said this week she would resign once the deal is through,” said Mr Paterson. “This agreement is not going to go through now, she should not be trying to bring it back for a fourth time.
"It would be better if she brought forward her plan and announced a date, it is time to get a fresh team in Number 10.”
Mr Paterson has been a vocal critic of the Prime Minister’s withdrawal agreement, and said he would prefer to see Britain leave the EU on World Trade Organisation terms. He said it was now impossible to predict what would happen.
"The law as it stands is that we now leave on World Trade Organisation terms on April 12, and that will be very good news," he said.
"We could trigger Article 24 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which means we will continue with zero tariffs, but I don't think the current team in No. 10 is equipped to do that, they are too fixated on this deal.
"It would also mean we are not minus £39 billion, and I think there are a lot of uses we could find for that money in North Shropshire."
Mr Paterson said that had Mrs May not persisted with her deal, and looked at the alternative arrangements he had suggested as long ago as October, then the present chaotic situation could have been avoided.
"The Government acted to actually delay its own legislation, if it had not done that we could have been out at 11pm last night, the whole thing would have been over," he said.
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski, who voted in favour of the agreement, said he thought another referendum or general election was now the most likely outcome.
Mr Kawczynski, who like Mr Paterson is a member of the pro-Brexit European Research Group, had previously opposed the deal, but this week appealed for Brexiteers to back the agreement, saying it was the only way to guarantee Britain left the EU.
He said Labour, Liberal Democrat, SNP and Plaid Cymru MPs had behaved in a cynical way to disrupt the process.
"I know it is the job of the opposition to hold the Government to account, but I think they have been putting party political gain before the interests of the country," he said.
"I'm also disappointed that a number of my colleagues couldn't support the deal."
Legislation
Mr Kawczynski said there would now be further votes on Monday, one of them will be for a customs union with the EU, and another for a second referendum, which he thought was the most likely outcome.
"A customs union would prevent us from striking independent trade deals, and the European Court of Justice will continue to oversee legislation in this country," he said.
"Another referendum will not resolve the matter, particularly if it comes out 52-48 in favour of remaining in the EU, and I don't see how a general election is going to sort it out as it looks like the result will be the same."
Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, also spoke of his disappointment that the agreement had not been passed.
"All those who voted against it are inadvertently, or purposely, trying to stop Brexit," he said.
"I will continue to push for Brexit and honour the instruction of the British people in the 2016 referendum. Parliament is not above the people."
