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Michael Heseltine backs new EU referendum as he casts doubt over PM securing backing for Brexit deal

The Conservative peer and former deputy PM throws his support behind The Independent’s campaign for a Final Say referendum on any Brexit deal

Political Correspondent

Sunday 26 August 2018 08:29 BST

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Chuka Umunna and John Rentoul debate the possibility of another Brexit referendum

Michael Heseltine has cast doubt over Theresa May securing a Brexit deal that can pass the Commons as he threw his support behind The Independent’s campaign for a new EU referendum.

Lord Heseltine, the former deputy prime minister in John Major’s administration, said in his view there has never been “such an unpredictable, calamitous set of events facing” the country.

The Tory peer also poured scorn on Boris Johnson’s niqab remarks, and said the former foreign secretary should apologise for his comments that could have a “ripple effect” and embolden the right wing.

His remarks came as The Independent’s campaign for a Final Say referendum on any Brexit deal reached by the prime minister in Brussels, gathered pace, with more than 700,000 people having signed the petition.

Last week the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) also published its first tranche of 24 technical papers detailing the government’s preparations for a no-deal Brexit.

Among the documents it was revealed that credit card users could face a new “Brexit tax”, drug companies were told to build six-week supplies of medicines and UK citizens living in Europe could also lose access to pension income through new red tape.

“My position is quite clear,” said Lord Heseltine. “The Brexiteers have had two years in which to produce a position along the lines in which they believe and after two years they’ve produced absolutely nothing except a growing sense of panic.”

He continued: “At the moment there is no evidence there will be a deal – if there is, is there a deal that is acceptable to the House of Commons? It’s a huge question.”

Pressed on whether he believed the prime minister could get a deal through the chamber, he added: “I think it’s very unlikely she’ll get a deal through the House of Commons.”

Lord Heseltine said that for months he has been saying there “had to be a second test of public opinion” either through a general election or a second EU referendum.

“I think probably a referendum,” he said when asked which he would prefer. “It’s one or the other. Events will dictate which it is.”

Brexit casualties

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Brexit casualties

Andrea Jenkyns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary at the ministry for housing, communities and local government role

May 2018 - The Morley and Outwood MP said: “We want to see a new relationship with Europe, with a new model not enjoyed by other countries – nothing that leaves us half-in, half-out. “And in order to achieve this, we need to leave the customs union.” Ms Jenkyn’s also said she wished to dedicate more of her time to Parliament’s influential Exiting the European Union select committee, after a series of “unbalanced” reports produced by MPs

PA

Brexit casualties

David Davis - Resigned from Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union role

July 2018 - quit following a major row with May over her plans for post-Brexit relations with the EU. Davis resignation letter said: “As you know there have been a significant number of occasions in the last year or so on which I have disagreed with the Number 10 policy line, ranging from accepting the [European] Commission’s sequencing of negotiations, through to the language on Northern Ireland in the December Joint Report. “At each stage I have accepted collective responsibility because it is part of my task to find workable compromises, and because I considered it was still possible to deliver on the mandate of the referendum, and on our manifesto commitment to leave the Customs Union and the Single Market. “I am afraid that I think the current trend of policy and tactics is making that look less and less likely.” He went on to argue that the “general direction” of Ms May’s policies would leave the UK “in at best a weak negotiating position, and possibly an inescapable one”.

AFP/Getty

Brexit casualties

Steve Baker - Resigned from Minister at the Department for Exiting the European Union role

July 2018 - Mr Baker, a key Tory figure in the Leave campaign, was David Davis’s main lieutenant at Dexeu, and was hailed as ”courageous and principled” by other Brexiteer Tories as he also left.

Reuters

Brexit casualties

Boris Johnson - Resigned from Foreign Secretary role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. In his resignation letter to the prime minister, Mr Johnson said: "On Friday, I acknowledged that my side of the argument were too few to prevail and congratulated you on at least reaching a Cabinet decision on the way forward. "As I said then, the government now has a song to sing. "The trouble is that I have practised the words over the weekend and find that they stick in the throat."

Reuters

Brexit casualties

Conor Burns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary role

July 2018 - A Brexit supporter who worked alongside Boris Johnson stated in his resignation letter: “I've decided it's time to have greater freedom. I want to see the referendum result respected. And there are other areas of policy I want to speak more openly on.”

Rex

Brexit casualties

Chris Green - Resigned from Department for Transport role

July 2018 - The Bolton West MP said: "Parliament overwhelmingly decided to give the decision of whether to leave or remain in the European Union to the British people and they made an unambiguous decision that we ought to leave. "I have always understood the idea in 'Brexit means Brexit' is that the final deal should be clear to me and my constituents - that we have, in no uncertain terms, left the European Union. Twitter Ads info and privacy "The direction the negotiations had been taking have suggested that we would not really leave the EU and the conclusion and statements following the Chequers summit confirmed my fears. "I recognise that delivering Brexit is challenging, however I had hoped at tonight's meeting that there would be some certainty that my fears were unfounded but, instead, they have been confirmed. "I have been grateful for the opportunity to serve as Parliamentary Private Secretary and it is with regret that I offer my resignation with immediate effect."

PA

Brexit casualties

Maria Caulfield - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for women role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. Lewes MP warned that the direction of travel did “not fully embrace the opportunities that Brexit can provide”. Ms Caulfield said in her letter to the PM: “The policy may assuage vested interests, but the voters will find out and their representatives will be found out. This policy will be bad for our country and bad for the party. “The direct consequences of that will be prime minister Corbyn.”

PA

Brexit casualties

Ben Bradley - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for young people role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. The Mansfield MP said: “I admit that I voted to Remain in that ballot. What has swayed me over the last two years to fully back the Brexit vision is the immense opportunities that are available from global trade, and for the ability for Britain to be an outward looking nation in control of our own destiny once again. “I fear that this agreement at Chequers damages those opportunities; that being tied to EU regulations, and the EU tying our hands when seeking to make new trade agreements, will be the worst of all worlds if we do not deliver Brexit in spirit as well as in name, then we are handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to No10.”

PA

Brexit casualties

Robert Courts - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. MP Mr Courts said: “I have taken a very difficult decision to resign my position as [parliamentary private secretary] to express discontent with the Chequers [plans] in votes tomorrow. “I had to think who I wanted to see in the mirror for the rest of my life. I cannot tell the people of Woxon that I support the proposals in their current form.”

Getty

Brexit casualties

Scott Mann - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. "I fear elements of the Brexit white paper will inevitably put me in direct conflict with the views expressed by a large section of my constituents. I am not prepared to compromise their wishes to deliver a watered-down Brexit. "The residents of North Cornwall made it very clear that they wish to have control over our fishery, our agricultural policy, our money, our laws and our borders. I will evaluate those principles against the Brexit white paper and ensure that I vote in line with their wishes."

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While the prime minister has categorically ruled out a second referendum “under any circumstances”, Labour has left the option on the table should parliament reject Ms May’s agreement with the EU or if a no-deal Brexit is looming.

On Friday, John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor and one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest allies, said Labour would rule nothing out – echoing comments made by his frontbench colleague Sir Keir Starmer the previous day.

Referring to Mr Johnson’s column in the Daily Telegraph, in which the former foreign secretary said those wearing niqabs resembled “letterboxes” and “bank robbers”, Lord Heseltine added: “I think he should apologise.

“My concern is the ripple effect. If people like him start using language that stimulates the worst elements of racism, it licences people to go further with impunity. ‘If Boris can say it, I can say it’. It becomes the sort of slogan of the racist element of the right wing.”

He suggested there could only be two explanations for the contentious column that attracted widespread criticism. “One is that it’s a mistake and if it’s a mistake he could say so. The other is that he calculates it would advance his street cred with the right wing of the Tory party. And I think it’s possible he’s right with that judgement.”

How to Brexit-proof your life

Asked whether he believed it was likely Mr Johnson would challenge the prime minister for leadership of the Conservative Party, Lord Heseltine added: “I think it’s much more likely that events will dictate the pace of change.

“I would not expect him to make a decisive move – the move may be made inevitable by vacuums or by other people signing letters of no confidence, all these sorts of things, or by losses of votes in the House of Commons.

“There has never been in my view such an unpredictable, calamitous set of events facing us.”

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