We’re leaving the EU but Parliament must decide how it’s done, says top Remain supporter

Parliament must decide how Britain splinters away from the EU, a senior Tory MP stressed today.

Former minister George Freeman said MPs who backed Remain had to concede the UK was leaving — but it was for the Commons to decide how Brexit happens. He rejected Theresa May’s Chequers blueprint for Brexit, which includes close ties to the EU on the trade in goods but not services, as having failed to win support, and believes that it “now hasn’t a prayer of being accepted”.

It was now time to “think seriously about Plan B,” he argued, pushing the benefits of the European Free Trade Association, whose members are Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. “Those of us who argued for Remain in the Referendum have to accept WE LOST,” he tweeted. “As an MP I respect my constituents’ decision. We need to leave the EU. But HOW is up to Parliament. I believe we need to minimise the short term economic risk with EFTA Membership.”

A significant number of Tory MPs are backing the EFTA model but Labour has so far rejected it, as it would probably mean largely accepting freedom of movement as part of single market arrangements.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab travels to Brussels tomorrow for talks with EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

Pierre Moscovici, EU commissioner for economic and financial affairs, today said Britain’s vote to leave could “in theory” be reversed but added: “The probability of Brexit is nevertheless very strong because there has been a vote of the people, a referendum.”