Archbishop of Canterbury backs cross-party Brexit commission to 'draw poison' out of negotiations
The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged Theresa May to set up a cross-party commission to advise her on Brexit to “draw much of the poison” from negotiations.
The Rt Rev Justin Welby said talks over the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union will be “fierce”, that differences in what should be aimed for “divide our politicians and our society” and that a hung Parliament will almost inevitably bring about an “understandable temptation for every difference to become a vote of confidence”.
But he warned that it would be a “disaster” if the UK’s negotiators went into bat against the “united determination of the EU” without having the “confidence” that they have the full backing of Britain.
As a result he has backed calls for a cross-party approach to Brexit talks.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday the Anglican leader contrasted the inspiring "spirit of Grenfell" which has been shown in the wake of the tower block fire with the divisive "zero-sum, winner takes all" rows over Brexit in Westminster.
He said: "We need the politicians to find a way of neutralising the temptation to take minor advantage domestically from these great events.
"We must develop a forum, or commission, or some political tool, which can hold the ring for the differences to be fought out, so that a commonly agreed negotiating aim is achieved.
"The future of this country is not a zero-sum, winner takes all calculation but must rest on the reconciled common good arrived at through good debate and disagreement."
Referring to the prospect of a commission, which has been floated by a number of senior politicians, the Archbishop said: "It would be under the authority of Parliament, especially the Commons.
"It would need to be cross-party and chaired by a senior politician, on Privy Council terms.
"It could not bind Parliament, but well structured it could draw much of the poison from the debate."
The archbishop warns that failure to arrive at a consensus on the UK’s Brexit aims risked turning the UK “inwards” and could “forfeit the opportunity to be a country the world admires”.
