Jacob Rees-Mogg: Brexit transition deal is “purgatory before heaven” and government should “rethink”
Arch Brexiter Jacob Rees-Mogg has described the transition deal agreed yesterday as “purgatory before getting into heaven”, saying the government should “rethink” the terms agreed on fisheries.
Yesterday’s deal met with widespread anger and disappointment from those in the fishing community after it emerged the UK would not regain control of its waters until after transition. It was described by SNP figures as “a sell-out” while Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said it was an “undoubted disappointment”.
“Having spoken to fishing leaders today, I know they are deeply frustrated with this outcome,” she said. “There is no ignoring the fact that this falls short of what they had hoped for in the short-term.”
This morning Rees-Mogg told LBC he agreed with his Scottish Tory colleagues, describing the deal as “an error”.
This is not brill but I won’t carp about it. I would feel out of plaice throwing fish and would doubtless flounder. https://t.co/rfsLXN4BuR— Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) March 20, 2018
“It will be particularly helpful to the Scottish economy to have a regrowth of its fishing industry,” the Somerset North MP said. “And to delay that by 21 months is regrettable, I happen to think an error, and I don’t think the government should have conceded on fish.”
The Catholic MP said: “It is something that is acceptable as long as on the 1 January 2021 we have really left. So, if the end state is good, then the transition is less important. It’s, in theological terms, purgatory before getting into heaven.”
He also claimed the UK had a strong enough hand – bolstered by the £39bn divorce settlement – to demand better terms, adding: “I think, on the fishing issue, the government should rethink.”
He is one of a growing number of Westminster-based politicians to raise concerns over the fishing component of the deal.
Yesterday, fellow Brexiter Bernard Jenkin told City A.M:”A great many many colleagues are concerned about the fisheries point – this goes beyond the usual suspects.”