SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood has said that a leaked cabinet memo revealing division within the British Government on their Brexit strategy demonstrates that Whitehall is wholly unprepared for negotiations.
Mr Eastwood said that Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to keep the show on the road.
He said: “The revelations from the Times newspaper this morning have given an insider insight into what we have suspected all along.
“The British cabinet of Brexiteers is split at least 3 ways and Whitehall is wholly unprepared for the negotiations to come.
“The memo also puts paid to Theresa May’s hyped reputation for competence – it is clear that the British Prime minister is struggling to keep the show on the road.
“Since June 24th the British Government has convinced us of only one thing – they don’t know what they’re doing.
“It is telling that the British Government’s response to this leaked memo is that they “don’t recognise it”. They are alone in surprise.
“The picture of chaos painted by the memo is exactly what we have all been looking at since the referendum result in June.
“In that context, let me offer the British Government a helpful get out clause for Northern Ireland.
“Allow us to retain access to the single market, retain the customs union, retain freedom of movement across the island and retain our access to European funding programmes.
“Retain that which we already have.
“That won’t require 30,000 extra civil servants to negotiate. It will only require the British Government to respect and uphold the democratic will of people here,” added the Foyle MLA.
