Benyon 'one of 21 Tory MPs to write to PM'

Newbury MP joins criticism of Boris Johnson’s Brexit plan

NEWBURY MP Richard Benyon is one of 21 Conservative MPs who are reported to have signed a letter criticising Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit plan.

Former Chancellor Philip Hammond has accused the PM of trying to wreck the chance of a new deal by making demands the EU could never accept.

The Prime Minister has said he wants to leave the EU with a deal, but the UK must leave “do or die” by the latest Brexit deadline of October 31.

He wants the EU to ditch the Irish border backstop plan from the deal negotiated by former PM Theresa May, which was rejected three times by Parliament.

But the EU has continued to insist that deal, including the backstop arrangements, is the only agreement possible.

Mr Hammond said a no-deal Brexit would be “a betrayal” of the 2016 referendum result.