The Telegraph: Theresa May won her battle with Eurosceptic ministers on Friday night as she announced the Cabinet has signed up to a Brexit deal that keeps Britain tied to EU rules and regulations indefinitely.
The Prime Minister said Britain would establish a “free trade area for goods” with the EU, allowing for frictionless trade and avoiding the need for a hard border in Northern Ireland.
A new customs arrangement will treat the UK and EU “as if [they are] a combined customs territory” and Britain will adopt a “common rulebook” with the EU on industrial goods and agricultural products. Read more here
The Guardian says that “Theresa May has secured approval to negotiate a soft Brexit deal with the European Union, signing up her fractious cabinet at a Chequers awayday to a controversial plan to match EU standards on food and goods.”
The BBC quotes own Laura Kuenssberg said the plan, agreed after a 12-hour meeting, would “anger many Tory Brexiteers”. She said the prime minister had “picked a side” by opting for a closer relationship with the EU than many colleagues desired – and she now had to sell it to her party and the other European leaders. No 10, she added, hoped the new commitments would unlock the next phase of talks with the rest of the EU but it was not yet clear how many, or what kind, of objections were raised.
Even The Financial Times said that what Theresa May gained is backing for ‘soft Brexit’ plan.
