William Hague urges Government not to ‘shoot foot off’ by pursuing hard Brexit
2 min read
William Hague has compared Brexit to taking “control of a gun” – and warned the Government not to “shoot its foot off” by failing to maintain close ties with the EU.
The former Conservative leader, who campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum, urged the Government to take a “liberal approach” to migration after Brexit as part of a “robust” trade deal.
Lord Hague said any attempt to reverse the decision made in the referendum would be “so divisive” it would not be possible.
He also described the Brexit negotiations as the “most complex task” facing the British Government since the Second World War.
“[We need to have] a liberal approach on migration, which is essential to our economy in the short term anyway, so we take back control but we use that to enter a strong free trade agreement, you know. And you can take back control of a gun but it doesn’t mean you use it to shoot your foot off,” he told Radio 4’s Reflections programme.
“So let’s take back control but enter willingly as a sovereign nation into a very robust free trade agreement and with the right attitude on migration I think it’s possible to reach the right solution on trade.
“And I think that’s something that the Conservative party could support across the board and that many business organisations and people in other parties could then support.”
He added: “So there is a way through, but I’m not pretending this is easy to arrive at, to negotiate exactly in that form. The Government faces the most complex task of any government since the Second World War. It is a very difficult one.”
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