Humphrys TEARS INTO David Miliband for ‘DESTROYING’ UK’s Brexit negotiating strategy

DAVID MILIBAND was subjected to a brutal grilling by John Humphrys after coming out in support of anti-Brexit MPs seeking to secure control over Britain’s negotiation strategy to keep Britain aligned to the European Union’s customs union.

The former Foreign Secretary is set to urge the Government to keep close ties with the European Union after Brexit.

But BBC Radio 4’s Today host John Humphrys slammed into Mr Milliband suggesting his campaign to keep Britain in the EU customs union could “destroy” the Government’s Brexit strategy.

Mr Humphrys said: “The problem is that you may end up destroying rather than creating something new here because you’re sending the Prime Minister into the negotiating chamber not exactly naked but in the position where she has to rely on the votes of MPs.

“If the MPs are saying to her ‘this is what we want’ she goes into the negotiating chamber, they are going to look at her and say ‘well, actually, she is just a puppet, isn’t she?”

Mr Miliband is expected to deliver a joint speech with former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and Tory Remainer Nicky Morgan to voice his concerns about the Brexit strategy the Government is pursuing.

Theresa May announced Britain would leave the single market after Brexit and has refused to budge despite MPs trying to seize control over the decision with a cross-party motion in Parliament.

Mr Humphrys continued: “The fact is that Mrs May is going to sit at that negotiating table and they will say ‘actually you know what, we don’t like that. Go back to your House of Commons because they feel the same way that we do.’

“You have destroyed her position.”

Mr Miliband rebuked Mr Humphrys’ suggestions, saying the intervention of MPs could help with the Brexit talks as it would clarify the Government’s withdrawal position.

He said: “That’s actually the opposite. There will be an enormous sigh of relief in Europe.

“The Europeans have sadly accepted that Britain is leaving the European Union however they don’t want a weak Britain because they think that will weaken the European Union.

“They know there’s trade both ways and at the moment they are sitting there. strumming their fingers on the table waiting for the Government to come forward with a negotiating position on the most fundamental issues.

“What could be more destructive of a government’s position than having no position, which is the current situation. Frankly, the negotiation is not with Europe at the moment: the negotiation is inside the Cabinet.”

 The original article can be found at – https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/959337/Brexit-news-latest-Humphrys-David-Miliband-customs-union-MP-Theresa-May-latest-video?utm_source=traffic.outbrain&utm_medium=traffic.outbrain&utm_term=traffic.outbrain&utm_content=traffic.outbrain&utm_campaign=traffic.outbrain