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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 2 OcTOber 2018

UK Brexit chief criticizes EU as divided Conservatives meet

By JILL LAWLESS, without assuming the costs
Associated Press and responsibilities.
BIRMINGHAM, England May is sticking to her pro-
(AP) — Britain's Brexit chief posal. But with Brexit day
appealed for Conserva- looming on March 29,
tive Party unity on Monday, chances are rising that the
as he warned the Europe- U.K. could find itself crash-
an Union that the U.K. will ing out of the bloc without
leave the bloc without a di- a deal. The government
vorce deal rather than ac- has acknowledged that
cept one that makes Britain could leave planes ground-
follow too many EU rules. ed and trucks backed up
Brexit Secretary Dominic at British ports.
Raab's call to "come to- Pro-EU Conservatives, who
gether, because this is a have been sidelined since
moment for the optimists" the country voted in 2016
fell largely on deaf ears at to leave the EU, think opin-
the Conservative confer- ion is turning in their favor
ence in Birmingham. In- now that the downsides
stead, pro-Brexit politicians of Brexit are becoming
took pot-shots at the EU, clearer. Several hundred
pro-EU Conservatives bat- people packed a meeting
tled to stop the U.K.'s exit in Birmingham on Monday
from the bloc — and British to hear from Conservatives
Prime Minister Theresa May calling for a "people's vote"
was caught in the middle, — a new referendum on
trying to cling to power. any final Brexit deal, with
The Conservatives are hold- the option to remain in the
ing their annual meeting in EU. Speakers warned that
the central English city 10 the party would be pun-
days after EU leaders told ished by voters if it pushed
May that her proposed through a "hard" Brexit.
divorce terms were unac- "Every single socio-eco-
ceptable. That rejection nomic ill that takes place
has sparking an impasse between now and the next
in Brexit negotiations and general election is going to
a crisis for Britain's leader, be blamed on 'Tory Brexit,'"
with less than six months to said lawmaker Phillip Lee,
go until Britain leaves the who resigned as a junior
28-nation bloc on March minister over his opposition
29. Demonstrators protest against Brexit as the governing Conservative Party start their annual four- to Brexit.
Raab accused the EU of day party conference in Birmingham, England, Sunday Sept 30, 2018. Lee claimed to know three
casting "jibes" at Britain Associated Press government ministers who
and having a "theological privately supported a new
approach (that) allows no history book from time to the U.K. a "vassal" of the used his own conference referendum, and urged
room for serious compro- time," said European Com- EU, whereas a clean break speech to stress that the Conservative lawmakers
mise." mission spokesman Mar- with the bloc would let Brit- Conservative Party "is, and with doubts about Brexit to
Raab said that if the EU garitis Schinas. ain strike new trade deals always will be, the party of speak up.
tried to "lock us in via the Pro-Brexit flag-waving got around the world. business." Conservative legislator
back door" — by keeping a warmer reception at Former Foreign Secretary It's a sign of how Brexit has Anna Soubry encouraged
Britain in the bloc's single the Conservative confer- Boris Johnson, a rival of upended British politics that British businesses to go
market or customs union — ence, where party mem- May's who is a likely future the party of free-market public with their concerns
"then we will be left with no bers mixed with lobbyists, contender for her job, has former Prime Minister Mar- about Brexit.
choice but to leave with- think-tank academics and called the prime minister's garet Thatcher needs to "There are so many private
out a deal." a group of men dressed as plan "preposterous" and make such an assurance. conversations that should
Raab's combative com- soldiers from the Battle of "deranged." Johnson is set But many British businesses now be public conversa-
ments followed Foreign Bosworth in 1485 — a time to address party delegates are anxious about Brexit, tions — and notably by Brit-
Secretary Jeremy Hunt's re- when Britain was engulfed on Tuesday, a day before fearing barriers to trade ish businesses," Soubry said.
mark on Sunday that the EU in civil war and Europe May's keynote speech to and recruiting workers "We have only six months to
should not try to prevent a seemed far away. the conference. could hammer the U.K. save our country."q
smooth departure by Britain May, meanwhile, faces a In the speech widely seen economy.
because "it was the Soviet growing threat to her lead- as Johnson's leadership Hammond echoed their
Union that stopped people ership amid deepening op- manifesto, he will urge the concerns, saying "our busi-
leaving." His comparison of position to her Brexit plan, party to "follow our con- nesses, and the workers
a bloc that includes several which would keep Britain servative instincts" and cut whose jobs depend on
former Communist coun- in the EU single market for taxes. them" need "friction-free
tries to the USSR drew a goods — in return for follow- On May's other flank are access" to EU markets.
rebuke from former British ing EU regulations — while pro-EU ministers such as Hammond backed May's
diplomats and from the EU. leaving it free to make its Treasury chief Philip Ham- Brexit plan, but EU leaders
"We would all benefit, and own rules on services. mond, who called John- say it amounts to "cherry
in particular foreign affairs Advocates of "hard Brexit" son's claims about Brexit picking" the benefits of
ministers, from opening a argue that would make "fantasy land." Hammond membership in the bloc