Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove has written an article for the Daily Telegraph in which he claims that if voters “dislike” any Brexit deal they will be able to vote for a new government at the next general election.

He added that any terms would “allow a future government to diverge” from the agreement. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, the next general election would be expected in 2022.

Responding, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said:

“Michael Gove is trying to do the opposite of what he says: he wants to strip the British people of control of this process. As recent polling has shown, there is a growing consensus supporting the Liberal Democrat policy for the public to have a vote on the terms of the deal, but extreme Brexiters do not want to take this risk in the light of increasing economic and political evidence that Brexit will be seriously damaging to the UK.

“Gove wants to deny us the right to block a poor deal. If, by the time of a 2022 general election, the government has negotiated and implemented a bad deal, we would not have the option of returning to the EU on the terms we currently enjoy with our closest, biggest and most important trading partner.

“The only way to give people control is for a vote on the terms of the deal, with the option of an Exit from Brexit.”

Notes:

In a Survation poll published on 3 December, 50% of people surveyed wanted a referendum, up 4% from July. This represents a 16 point lead over the 34% who are opposed to a vote.