Lord O'Neil term May's Brexit plan 'madness' and said it is embarrasing

More trouble seem to be brewing for the Prime Minister as a member of the House of Lord condemns Mrs May’s proposal to strike a trade deal with several Commonwealth countries, saying it is an embarrassing idea.

Lord O’Neil stated that the PM risks “madness” by trying to replace European Union (EU) trade partners with the likes of New Zealand. The one time Treasury minister stated how the PM was ignoring reality in her moves to reduce net migration while boosting the UK economy.

He said: “Greece is bigger than new Zealand. Banging on about a free trade deal with New Zealand is going to make zero difference to Britain’s future instead of trade.”

Lord O’Neill said: “If we’re cutting ourselves off from the most skilled people from around the world in key industries and most importantly in our universities, where arguably Britain does have a global edge, it’s kind of madness.”

According to him Brexit issues such as leaving the single market were a “reality check which the Government is choosing to ignore”, while a sector-by-sector approach to negotiators was “fraught with problems”.

On the contrary, critics have blamed peers of using the amendment to create a veto over the historic Brexit vote by the UK public on June 23 last year.

The move sparked a furious debate from both inside and outside government, with Brexit Secretary David Davis accusing members of attempting to “frustrate” Brexit.

He said: “It is clear that some in the Lords would seek to frustrate that process, and it is the Government's intention to ensure that does not happen. We will now aim to overturn these amendments in the House of Commons."

George Galloway also blasted the vote, describing peers as “bloated parasites”.

He said: “What possible justification can there be for an unelected House of Parliament to defy not only the elected House of Parliament but to deny the British people in a referendum who’ve already made the decision to leave?”

“Please don’t be lured into supporting this bloated class of parasites, almost every one of them, few exceptions, it’s time to clean the Augean stable of British democracy and get rid of them."