Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday that he had "misgivings" about the government's intention to override the Withdrawal Agreement, becoming the fourth ex-Tory leader to express concern at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's proposal hampering the post-Brexit trade deal
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2020) Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday that he had "misgivings" about the government's intention to override the Withdrawal Agreement, becoming the fourth ex-Tory leader to express concern at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's proposal hampering the post-Brexit trade deal.
Last week, Johnson introduced to the UK parliament the Internal Market Bill, which sent shockwaves through the Brexit negotiation process, as it proposes to roll back some of the commitments on state aid and customs checks on goods entering Northern Ireland that London made in the Brexit deal.
"Passing an Act of Parliament and then going on to break an international treaty obligation is the very, very last thing you should contemplate. It should be an absolute final resort. So I do have misgivings about what's being proposed," Cameron told reporters, as quoted by the Sky news broadcaster.
At the same time, the politician added that the parliament had not yet passed the draft bill and the decision depended on whether certain circumstances did or did not appear.
"Of course, the bigger picture here is we are in a vital negotiation with the EU to get a deal, and I think we have to keep that context, that big prize in mind, and that is why I have perhaps held back from saying more up to now," Cameron said.
The United Kingdom left the European Union in January but remains under the current EU trade terms. However, if no trade deal is secured before the so-called transition period expires on December 31, the World Trade Organization's rules for both parties will come in effect starting 2021, including customs tariffs and full border checks for UK goods entering the European area. The sides have been engaged in talks to secure a trade deal but have both pointed to the lack of progress in the negotiations.
