Blair claims Tories “sacrificing GFA on  altar of Brexit”

Posted By: February 24, 2018

 Arj Singh, Press Association. Irish News. Saturday, February 24, 2018
Tony Blair has claimed the British government is sacrificing the Good Friday Agreement so that it can leave the Customs Union following Brexit.

The former Labour prime minister, who was a key figure in the 1998 negotiations, attacked Conservative ministers’ “sickening” irresponsibility.

In an article attacking the ‘road to Brexit’, series of speeches which will culminate in an address by prime minister Theresa May next Friday, Mr Blair wrote that the agreement is being sacrificed so the government can leave the customs union to strike free trade deals around the world, raising the prospect of border posts on the island of Ireland.

He wrote: “There are politicians prepared to sacrifice the Good Friday Agreement on the altar of Brexit and declare that the peace agreed in Northern Ireland is not worth having anyway.

“This is irresponsibility that is frankly sickening.”

Mr. Blair also urged his Labour Party to oppose Brexit, as Jeremy Corbyn prepares to deliver his key speech on withdrawal on Monday.

The former Labour leader released a study accompanying his article showing that Brexit will cause economic pain and that the UK needs most categories of EU migrant.