Brexit: Chequers deal or no deal ‘only options’, says Lidington
Cabinet Office Minister tells French business it is too late to go back to drawing board

Theresa May’s de facto deputy has warned that the only alternative to the Prime Minister’s Chequers plan is a no deal Brexit.
Speaking to French businesses, Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington issued a take-it-or-leave it ultimatum, saying there was no time left to go back to the drawing board if the EU rejected the UK government’s Brexit proposal.
France is seen as one of the more intractable EU nations in the Brexit negotiations, willing to hold Britain’s feet to the fire and risk the UK crashing out without an agreement, in order to secure a more favourable final deal that would also serve as a warning to other nations thinking about leaving the bloc.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The scepticism of the French government prompted May to fly out to the holiday home of the country's staunch Europhile President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month to try and win him over.
Stressing the common values and interests of the UK and France, Lidington said: “I truly feel that we are at a fork in the road. There are trends on both sides of the Channel, both sides of the North Sea, and both sides of the Atlantic that could see us drift apart.”
Striking a more conciliatory tone, he sought to allay concerns that the UK could slash regulation post-Brexit in a bid to gain a competitive edge against its European counterparts.
His view that economic growth, consumer and worker protection, and sustainable development “go together hand in hand, not as trade-offs” is “likely to concern some Brexiters, for whom leaving the EU should be an opportunity to cut back on what they see as cumbersome regulation”, says The Guardian.
Conversely, the newspaper says, “the commitment not to flout the EU’s approach to state aid may also concern Labour, with Jeremy Corbyn keen to exploit the added leeway Brexit could allow to provide more support to struggling industries”.
There are just seven months to go until Britain formally leaves the EU. However, Bloomberg reports that both the UK and EU have dropped their October deadline for a deal, and now aim to finalise divorce terms by the middle of November at the latest.
“The longer timeframe is another indication that negotiators are struggling to make headway,” it says, “and the risk is that the closer talks run to the UK’s exit on 29 March, the greater the chance that there won’t be a deal”.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
June 25 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons include war on a loop, the New York City mayoral race, and one almighty F-bomb
-
How generative AI is changing the way we write and speak
In The Spotlight ChatGPT and other large language model tools are quietly influencing which words we use
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?
Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
Is the G7 still relevant?
Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
'California is not a trivial target'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
The 50-year battle for Western Sahara
The Explainer UK is latest country to back Moroccan plan to end decades-long dispute with Algerian-backed Polisario Front
-
Angela Rayner: Labour's next leader?
Today's Big Question A leaked memo has sparked speculation that the deputy PM is positioning herself as the left-of-centre alternative to Keir Starmer
-
Brexit 'reset' deal: how will it work?
In Depth Keir Stamer says the deal is a 'win-win', but he faces claims that he has 'surrendered' to Brussels on fishing rights
-
Are we entering the post-Brexit era?
Today's Big Question Keir Starmer's 'big bet' with his EU reset deal is that 'nobody really cares' about Brexit any more
-
Is Starmer's plan to send migrants overseas Rwanda 2.0?
Today's Big Question Failed asylum seekers could be removed to Balkan nations under new government plans
-
Can Starmer sell himself as the 'tough on immigration' PM?
Today's Big Question Former human rights lawyer 'now needs to own the change – not just mouth the slogans' to win over a sceptical public