Former prime minister David Cameron has “misgivings” about the government’s plan to override the UK’s Brexit withdrawal deal.
The government has admitted its UK Internal Market Bill could breach international law, but has insisted it is “critical” to ensuring the unfettered access for goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK.
But the proposed legislation has prompted a storm of anger both at Westminster and in Brussels over the plan to give ministers the power to alter key elements of the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement, which was formally signed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in January.
Mr Cameron on Monday became the fourth ex-Tory leader – after Lord Howard, Sir John Major and Theresa May – to express concern at Mr Johnson’s plan.
His comments mean he is also the fifth former prime minister, including ex-Labour premiers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown as well as Sir John and Mrs May, to speak out against the government’s proposals.
He said: “Passing an Act of Parliment and then going on to break an international treaty obligation is the very, very last thing you should contemplate.
“It should be an absolute final resort. So I do have misgivings about what’s being proposed.”
However, Mr Cameron also added: “So far what’s happened is the government has proposed a law that it might pass, or might not pass, or might use or might not use, depending on whether certain circumstances do or do not appear.
“Of course the bigger picture here is we are in a vital negotiation with the EU to get a deal and I think we have to keep that context, that big prize in mind, and that’s why I’ve perhaps held back from saying more up to now.”