Tory Rebel Brexit Idea ALREADY DEAD

[Update at end of post]

With Theresa May having had her little local difficulty in Salzburg last week, disgruntled former ministers and other assorted hangers-on have decided to put forward their own proposals to deal with the thorny issue of the Irish border. These, it seems, enjoy the imprimatur of the IEA, another in the alphabet soup of lobby groups masquerading as think tanks. They are backed by experts. And they are dead on arrival.

As free sheet City AM has told, “Earlier this month City A.M. revealed that former Brexit secretary David Davis was backing an alternative Brexit plan, which has been produced by trade expert Shanker Singham - head of the International Trade and Competition Unit at the free-market Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).” Do go on.

“Today, Davis will be joined by former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, former trade minister and Remain supporter Greg Hands and Labour’s Gisela Stuart at the launch of a strategy document called ‘Creating a prosperous post-Brexit UK’ … The proposals aim to refocus the Brexit debate on the UK’s future global trade policy”.

But, as with all the best teasers, we don’t get to find out what proposals will be made, save for the usual meaningless soundbites, like “Brexit is a major global event” and “A major G7 country is embracing trade policy for the first time in 40 years”. Yes, the UK hasn’t had a trade policy since 1973. They sup some strong stuff at the IEA.

So what is actually on offer? Politics Home has told that “The IEA's plan will call for the UK to leave the EU's single market and customs union while simultaneously pushing for membership of existing free trade pacts across the world, including the Common Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and Nafta”. More chlorinated chicken.

But what about the Irish border? Ah well. The deal giveaway came yesterday in that Sunday Times front page lead from alleged doyen of political editors Tim Shipman. And what it says shows just how much expertise the IEA really possesses.

“May will come under pressure to shift her position tomorrow when David Davis and Boris Johnson, who resigned over the Chequers Brexit proposal, back an alternative plan drawn up by the Institute of Economic Affairs think tank”. Yes? Yes yes? Yes yes yes?

“A leaked copy reveals that it recommends a Canada-style deal using technology trusted trader schemes and a separate Anglo-Irish trade treaty on goods to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic … Stewart Jackson, Davis’s former chief of staff, warned May that she has 10 days to save her Premiership, calling on her to adopt the plan or face a coup”. She’ll be too busy laughing at Jackson’s stupidity.

Let’s take this nice and slowly. The Republic of Ireland is an EU member state. That means it cannot make independent trade deals. All its trade deals are made via the EU. The EU will not, repeat will not, repeat WILL NOT, allow exceptionalism of this nature.

Unless Shippers has shipped yet more bull, and this is always possible, the IEA’s “experts” have shown that they do not know trade deals from the proverbial hole in the ground.

The ineptitude of those right-wing lobby groups knows no bounds. Another one for the bin.

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[UPDATE 1535 hours: Right on cue, the usual suspects have proclaimed the wonders of the IEA proposals, probably without bothering to read them.

First off was London's very occasional Mayor Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, who blustered "Fine piece of work by @ShankerASingham @iealondon - This is a plan the EU would understand and respect - delivering prosperity for the U.K. and our European partners. I’ve no doubt it would unite MPs and the country". He hadn't read it.

Then came Mid Bedfordshire's representative (yes, it's her again) Nadine Dorries to proclaim "#PlanAPlus is the viable alternative to #Chequers it delivers a vision and a road map for a forward looking and prosperous post Brexit U.K. in which everyone benefits. No10 need to very quickly dump Chequers, a fantasy document on the cabinet table, and replace it with this".

So she hadn't read it either. But the BBC's Chris Cook had read it, and he concluded "I’ve written a piece about the maths used by the IEA. In short, I think it’s pretty dubious". And that's before you get to the trade deal that couldn't be done independently of the EU.

The assembled idiocy of Tory Leavers is as before. No change there, then]