The UK Justice Secretary has admitted that some of his Government colleagues have not been fully truthful about the consequences of a no-deal Brexit.
David Gauke was speaking after the frontrunner to become the next UK Prime Minister warned that he is not bluffing about leaving the EU without a deal, if necessary.
Boris Johnson said Westminster is facing an “existential threat” and warned that the Tories may never recover the public’s trust if the UK fails to leave.
He insisted the UK would continue to prosper, even in a no-deal scenario.
“I don’t think all of my colleagues have been perhaps as candid about that as they might have been”
UK Justice Secretary @DavidGauke tells #marr there are “significant downsides” to leaving the EU without a deal pic.twitter.com/D4jr6dCXtU— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) July 7, 2019
On the BBCs Andrew Marr Show this afternoon, Justice Secretary David Gauke said politicians should be honest and straight with the British public about the fact that the choices facing the Government regarding Brexit have “significant consequences.”
“I think there are very significant downsides for the UK if we leave without a deal,” he said.
“I think there's a lot of talk about preparing for no-deal, and one of the things we need to do is prepare the British people for the realities of no-deal – and I don't think all of my colleagues have been as candid about that as perhaps they might have been.”
He said he will likely resign if Mr Johnson becomes prime minister.
"Assuming that he wins, if Boris's position is that he is going to require every member of the cabinet to sign up to being prepared to leave without a deal on the 31st of October, to be fair to him I can't support that policy, so I would resign in advance,” he said.
“I will possibly be gone by then”
UK Justice Secretary @DavidGauke tells #marr assuming Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister, he cannot support a no-deal Brexit policy and would resign in advance pic.twitter.com/FK4eo2DK7j— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) July 7, 2019
Mr Johnson’s leadership rival Jeremy Hunt has also said he would accept a ‘no-deal’ Brexit with a “heavy heart” – if the UK Parliament fails to ratify the agreement.
He said he said he believed the UK Parliament will find a way to prevent the winner of the Tory leadership contest from taking the UK out of the EU without a deal.
At least 20 Conservative Party MPs have reportedly launched a bid to prevent any no-deal exit.
