"It's Hogwash": Tory Grandee Rips Into Ministers' Handling Of Brexit

A Conservative peer tore into the government's handling of Brexit, accusing Ministers of speaking "hogwash" and "nonsense".

Lord Patten ripped apart the arguments that Brexit would be good for Britain during his interview on LBC.

Speaking to James O'Brien, he said: "If you make the sort of remarks I've made about the nonsense that's talked on the trade deals which are awaiting us out there if only we get out of the Customs Union, if you point out the nonsense which is talked about about being able to have virtual borders, if you take to pieces the arguments that we're somehow going to take back control if we're outside the European Union, you're denounced by one of our tabloid newspapers and one or two others as being unpatriotic, as being a traitor, as being an enemy of the people.

"It's all awful hogwash.

"There won't be plagues of locusts, the sun will still come up in the mornings, but at the end of the day, we will be less well off and less influential as a country. And I think young people know that very well."

James O'Brien with Lord Patten. Picture: LBC

James suggested the sun still coming up is seen by Leave voters as being proof Brexit is a good decision and Lord Patten responded: "The Brexiteers, having recognised that people wouldn't go along with the idea of a hard Brexit with an over the cliff, onto the rocks Brexit, they're now prepared to settle for anything.

"So it's not a question of 'No deal is better than a bad deal', the question is 'A bad deal is better than is better than still having the possibility with no dealof being inside the European Union.'

"So they're prepared to put lipstick on a pig if it's necessary."