Brexit news: Jacob Rees-Mogg calls on Theresa May to adopt 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' Canada-style trade deal

Jacob Rees-Mogg arrives at the launch of the Institute of Economic Affairs Brexit research paper, where he called for a 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' Canada-style trade deal with the EU
Victoria Jones/PA
James Morris24 September 2018
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Jacob Rees-Mogg has urged Theresa May to grasp a "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" Canada-style trade deal with the EU.

The leading Brexiteer insisted the UK can have a “fantastic” Brexit which “ensures our prosperity”.

Mr Rees-Mogg made the call at a launch event for a new Brexit blueprint by the free market Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) think tank.

The MP, who heads the powerful Tory backbench European Research Group (ERG), said: "So much of what hear about these negotiations has been about managing decline, has been about how you have the least bad Brexit.

Mr Rees-Mogg insisted the UK can have a 'fantastic Brexit'
Neil Hall/EPA

“This is about how you can have a fantastic Brexit that sets us up for the next generation and ensures our prosperity.

"This has been offered to us by the Commission, they have offered us the best trade deal they have ever done with any country ever in the world.

“So if you want to call it ‘Canada plus’, or ‘super Canada’ or ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Canada’, that is what is being aimed and is being offered."

What is a Canada-style trade deal?  

Mr Rees-Mogg's 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' plan explained...  


It would see the UK agree a free trade deal with the EU along similar lines to the one put in place with Canada.

This is rather than the much closer alignment with rules and regulations set by Brussels that is envisaged in the government's Chequers proposal.

The UK would have more control over issues like immigration and setting its own trade rules, but less access to EU markets.

However, it has been flatly rejected by the government.

Brexit secretary Dominic Raab said a Canada-style deal would mean agreeing to customs controls between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, which is something Ms May insisted Britain could never accept.

 

Mr Rees-Mogg also hit out at Remainers seeking a second referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.

He said: "I'm afraid the Remainers who want another referendum hold democracy in contempt, they lost and they should grow up."

David Davis, the former Brexit secretary who resigned over Ms May’s Chequers deal, also spoke at the IEA event and ripped into the Prime Minister after her disastrous negotiations with EU leaders at the Salzburg summit.

David Davis sat next to Jacob Rees-Mogg at the think tank event in London on Monday
Neil Hall/EPA

He said: "We're currently, bluntly, in a cul-de-sac. I'm afraid Salzburg was all too predictable.

"Now what we need to do is to use the original commitments made back on March 7 by both [Donald] Tusk and Barnier to go for an advanced free trade agreement."

With Ms May set to face senior ministers to save her Chequers blueprint on Monday, her spokesman rejected talk of a Canada-style deal.

He said Ms May’s Chequers proposal, which would see Britain maintain a "common rulebook" with the EU for trade in goods and agriculture, is the only credible option on the table which would avoid the return of a "hard border" between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Additional reporting by Press Association.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in