Sajid Javid unveils his Brexit deal plans, including his back-up trade terms
Home secretary and Tory leadership contender Sajid Javid has outlined his plans for the withdrawal agreement, saying he would renegotiate the backstop to either include a proper exit clause or time limit.
Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, Javid spoke on his clashes with Trump, the ongoing extradition of Julian Assange to the US and his plan of how to pass a Brexit deal.
Javid outlined that his preferred Brexit outcome would be passing a withdrawal agreement with changes to the backstop, specifically either a time-limit to the backstop or a “proper exit clause.”
Javid disputed that the changes would not be in the Irish government’s interest. He said that such changes are viewed to be “in the gift of the Irish,” according to Irish and EU leaders Javid has had informal discussions with. Javid however, has not discussed his plans with Leo Varadkar, which he said would have been “improper” due to undermining collective responsibility.
Javid said the UK government should pay for both the up-front and running cost of the border, as a good-will gesture towards the Irish government.
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Javid said if his plan on the Irish backstop did not work, he would favour either a “managed exit” on WTO terms, and if not that, then leaving the EU with no deal. He underlined while he was not aiming to leave the EU with no deal, it would be the right thing to do in the circumstances in order to achieve Brexit.
When questioned on the ability to prepare for no deal over the short period of time before the 31 October cliff edge, Javid admitted that a no-deal Brexit would be “very challenging” for the country, that it would depend on tax stimulus and supply-side stimulus and may lead to job losses.
Javid said that he would be happy to serve under any other leadership candidate, including Boris Johnson, who he labelled “yesterday’s news” at his campaign launch yesterday.
Javid also revealed he “didn’t know” why Donald Trump wasn’t invited to the state banquet, and said he did find it “odd” that he wasn’t invited while other Cabinet ministers were, including fellow leadership candidate Michael Gove.
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Javid refused to be drawn into whether his religion was the reason he wasn’t invited to the event, “I’m not saying that [it was because of my background]...I really don’t know at all.”
Tory leadership candidates will find out their performance in the first ballot around 1pm today, with front-runner Boris Johnson expected to top it.