Tory Remainer Dominic Grieve told Brexiteer broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer he would not allow an ‘illegal’ no-deal Brexit and would have to be voted out if Brexiteers wanted it to happen.
Speaking on talkRADIO, Grieve said that the pair actually agree that the process should be brought to an end to resolve the ‘continuing uncertainty’ over Brexit.
He said: ‘As an advocate of a second referendum that is exactly what I’m trying to do.’
He added it would reveal ‘if people want to leave the EU on the terms negotiated by the prime minister’ which are ‘the only terms for a departure.’ Hartley-Brewer, however, interjected claiming that a no-deal Brexit was also a possible route to leave the EU.
Grieve calmly responded: ‘No-deal is not a term of departure, no it is not, because it is unlawful. I keep on making the point. No respectable modern government which is adherent to the international rules based system, can offer no deal departure as a viable option because it violates other international obligations of the United Kingdom.
‘It is so fundamental a point that no respectable government can do it.’
Hartley-Brewer grinned as she turned to the Conservative Party’s manifesto.
‘How come you stood on a manifesto? You stood on a manifesto that stated no-deal is better than a bad deal.
‘You did not raise this issue with your constituents and say well actually this promise in my party manifesto is completely illegal.’
The Remainer pointed out he had been quite clear about his position on Brexit.
‘I did, I have never adhered to no deal being better than a bad deal. No deal breaches our other international legal obligations and specifically for Ireland under the Good Friday agreement.
‘They are incompatible. So if people want to have a no-deal Brexit, let us have a General Election, to select members to parliament who wish to violate our international obligations.
‘If you want to do that, that is a new world for the United Kingdom to move into, I might add a further step into general disintegration as a nation. We probably will not survive it as a United Kingdom at all.’
MORE: Support The New European – subscribe for 13 weeks and get a FREE Bollocks to Brexit mug
MORE: Poundland solves Brexit by offering blue passport covers for Brexiteers
He reiterated that it would require a general election if the public want MPs that are prepared to vote for illegal concepts.
‘I am not prepared to allow it to happen and if people wish to vote me out of office in a General Election, that is a matter for the, but I will not do it.’
Most popular
Alastair Campbell’s Diary: Disappointing Greta Thunberg and a night out with the Kinnocks
Mandrake: Facing the fury of Nadine Dorries
