by Nathan Morley
BRUSSELS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe has warned that a new Brexit policy rolled-out by British Prime Minister Theresa May is unacceptable.
In an interview with Xinhua, Widdecombe said the plan fails to give Britain a "proper break" from the European Union (EU).
Last Friday, Theresa May met senior ministers to forge a position on Brexit, but despite announcing "cabinet support" for her plan, she was blindsided by two major resignations.
Her idea of keeping Britain aligned with the European Union through a "free trade zone" prompted Brexit secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to quit. The backlash came after her 12-point compromise pointed to the UK being tied to the EU in the area of industrial goods and agriculture products.
"It doesn't give us a proper break from the EU," Widdecombe told Xinhua. "We would still be tied to their rules in any trade deal, and we would still have to rely on the European Court of Justice to sort out certain disputes."
Brexit supporters are also worried the plan will limit British ability to forge trade deals with countries like the United States, and amounts to a "Brexit in name only".
"What we wanted when we voted Brexit were three things: Control of our own laws back -- we haven't got that. Control of our own borders -- it's unlikely that we've got that, and to be completely free from EU intervention and to be able to trade freely with the rest of the world. There are all sorts of question marks under this new plan," she said.
Widdecombe, well-known in Britain as being characteristically blunt, served in government under Prime Minister John Major, and in opposition under William Hague, where she was frequently tipped as a future party leader.
Although those close to Prime Minister May have tried to lessen the humiliation for the government by dismissing questions about her future, Widdecombe believes she will survive -- for now.
"Whoever becomes leader is going to have exactly the same problems she's got, which is, thanks to her and her election last year; we don't have a majority in the House of Commons," she said. "So whoever is leader can't simply say: 'this is what we are going to do.' That is impossible."
Widdecombe also warned any leadership contest to oust Prime Minister May could drag on for three months, at the very time when Brexit negotiations will reach their most crucial point.
"I don't think that would be sensible, it would cause an awful lot of uncertainty, nobody would know with whom they were dealing, and so I think she will survive for those reasons," she said.
Widdecombe says the unprecedented turmoil in Brexit talks can't just be blamed on Britain. "The EU is massively responsible. The EU has taken the line throughout that it was going to make our exit as difficult as possible. Theresa May is also to blame, she says 'Brexit means Brexit' then produces a deal which doesn't mean Brexit," she said.
The former minister also sent a clear message for those itching for a second Brexit referendum, saying they lacked a necessary understanding of the situation.
"We have triggered Article 50. We are going in 2019, we either go with a deal or without a deal, but what is beyond dispute is we go. We can't stay. We've invoked the article which says we do go. I think that's what a lot of people don't realize," she said. "The only way we could remain members of the EU is to reapply on certainly very unfavourable terms."
