Senior Tories pile pressure on May to '˜soften' Brexit stance

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, the former MEP Lord Kirkhope suggested last week’s election failed to secure a mandate for the Government’s Hard Brexit strategy and ministers should now “be careful” how they proceed.

His comments follow reports that Remain-supporting Cabinet members are preparing to work with Labour rivals to push for a “softer” exit from the EU that allows for greater access to European markets.

Lord Hague and Sir John Major today became the latest Tory heavyweights to call on Mrs May to reassess her priorities for negotiations, shifting the focus from immigration to economic growth.

Brexit Secretary David Davis caused a stir on Monday when he revealed formal talks will no longer begin on June 19, but are likely to commence some time “next week”.

It has been suggested that the delay was a result of the need to conclude negotiations with the DUP, but there is also concern that European leaders see Mrs May as lacking the mandate to press ahead with plans to leave the single market and end free movement.

Speaking to this paper, Lord Kirkhope, who was a key player in drafting Article 50, agreed that the election result should prompt a rethink in Government policy.

He stated that young people in particular used last week’s vote to express their opposition to a hard exit, and suggested ministers need to “be careful” to reflect this in their revised approach.

“A lot of the information coming in on a regional basis from Yorkshire... is suggesting that the uncertainty about the future with Europe is costing us,” he said.

“It’s costing us economically and its also going to be very dangerous to us in terms of employment [in light of] the question of immigration and the question of free movement

“The situation is not the same as it was a week ago. Things have changed, things have moved on... I think we may have to revisit the current Brexit arrangements.

“Bearing in mind the result that happened, and the way that politics is now looking, I think its absolutely essential that we keep all options open.”

The former Prime Minister Sir John Major echoed these views when he told the BBC that the Government should be “more generous” on immigration and membership of the single market.

The Tory grandee also told ministers they would be “very wise” to consult on Brexit more widely.

Labour are already pushing for greater cross-party collaboration on Brexit, following Yvette Cooper’s calls for a new commission.

Shadow Brexit minister Paul Blomfield yesterday told the YP that the “debate has opened up again” and encouraged Mrs May to reconsider membership of the single market, stressing that this would not necessarily mean accepting free movement in its current form.

“Labour’s view is that we should be seeking a negotiated departure from the European Union putting the economy and jobs first, and that means taking nothing off the table,” he said.