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He said that, if the government did not formally adopt the idea of extending Britain’s membership, he was prepared to force a vote on the issue by attempting to add his plan to the EU withdrawal bill, currently working its way through parliament.
His comments come soon after Theresa May made a major breakthrough by convincing her cabinet to back a plan under which Britain could stay inside elements of the EU’s customs union and single market. [...]
Remaining inside the customs union would mean the UK would not be able to sign its own trade deals – one of the key Brexit gains cited by Leave supporters. However, Boles said he believed his compromise plan for a temporary extension to Britain’s membership would win significant support from Leave and Remain MPs.
“I am encouraged by reports that the PM is exploring an extension to the UK’s participation in a customs union after the end of the transition in December 2020,” he told the Observer. “I hope this will become the government’s preferred policy.
“But if it does not, I am ready to lay amendments to the withdrawal bill and am confident of securing significant support from pragmatic colleagues who, like me, want to see a Brexit that works.”[...]