Must-read article by David Davis in the FT, in which the former Brexit Secretary denounces May’s Chequers deal threatens democracy, squanders the opportunities of Brexit and kills our ability to strike trade deals.

Last week, the government’s Brexit white paper told the country it could look forward to a “common rule book” with the EU. We now face continued harmonisation with the bloc’s rules on goods. Unfortunately, this jeopardises the opportunities offered by Brexit. Under this plan agreed by the cabinet at Chequers, the prime minister’s country residence, Britain would have to obey EU regulations, follow EU rules on how all goods are made, and on a huge range of interconnected areas such as environment and food production. The chance to become a credible trading partner will be compromised and we will be unable to strike free trade deals. As Donald Trump aptly pointed out, it would “kill” the prospect of a US-UK deal. Without control over goods, we would lack the crucial leverage to open up the UK’s export of services to the rest of the world. Not controlling our own regulation is far from an arcane technicality. It would mean that the UK is simply not running its own economy. How laws are made is also a central indicator of whether we have a functioning democracy. If parliament determines laws, we have one; otherwise, we do not. If British democracy is now at stake, so too is our future prosperity.

Those Brexiters still backing the deal should take a step back and remember this is the former Brexit Secretary saying it is not Brexit…