As Brexiters’ mask slips, the ugly truth is revealed

Tory Brexiters want to rip up protections for workers, consumers and the environment. This should focus minds at the upcoming Labour conference. Its members and supporters need to be alert to the dangers of Brextremist dogma becoming reality amidst the upheaval of leaving the EU.

So what exactly are Jacob Rees-Mogg and his allies up to? Helpfully, they’ve published two separate blueprints this month spelling it out.

The first came from a spurious report by economist Patrick Minford and his “Economists for Free Trade” outfit. It wants to unilaterally abolish all our trade tariffs with the rest of the world after Brexit. That would decimate our farming and manufacturing industries, forced to suddenly compete with global giants. Minford is relaxed about this. During the referendum he wrote that Brexit should “eliminate manufacturing”.

His new report, which was enthusiastically backed by Rees-Mogg, also assumes that all the safety, environmental and other standards currently imposed on imported goods from the rest of the world would be removed. That’s bad news for consumers. Is the food you’re eating safe? What about the toy your child is playing with?

The second Brextremist economic plan was a look at the “ideal” US-UK trade deal by the Initiative for Free Trade. The IFT was originally launched as the “Institute for Free Trade”, with support from Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Liam Fox, before being threatened with a fine for calling itself an “institute” without permission.

Again, their plan for the perfect UK-US partnership involves removing all tariffs on goods and agricultural products, a move which could wipe out British industries. It would open NHS contracts to US corporate giants. It would also miss out any protections for workers, the environment, intellectual property or consumer safety.

Of course, this free trade fanaticism is not what Theresa May is proposing. But what’s the chance that her party will stick to her promises when it’s likely she won’t be prime minister for much longer?

If anybody doubted this, Michael Gove’s comments at the weekend that a new prime minister might “always choose to alter the relationship between Britain and the European Union” should be a flashing red light. It is ordinary working people who will be most damaged by this fanaticism. All the more reason for Labour to support a People’s Vote at the end of the Brexit talks, giving the public a chance to stay in the EU if they don’t like what’s on offer.