As Theresa May prepares to set out her five tests of a Brexit deal, Vince Cable, Chuka Umunna and Caroline Lucas have demanded that she and her ministers live up to the promises that they have made since the referendum, most of which revolve around cake and the eating thereof.

Open Britain co-ordinated a letter which is short and sweet. It’s the appendix in which the words of Ministers are outlined that is useful.

The point of the letter is not so much that they think the Prime Minster is going to take any notice, but more so that they can raise awareness of how far the Government is falling short of its own promises.

Here is the text of the letter:

Dear Prime Minister,

You have been Prime Minister for more than a year and a half and yet it has taken you until now to explain in any detail to the public what you believe the future relationship between the UK and the EU should be. It was your decision to rule out membership of the Single Market and the Customs Union, yet you and the Brexit Secretary have misleadingly claimed we can do this and at the same time retain all the benefits of membership.

Since the referendum, you and your ministers have made a number of promises about our future trading relationship with the EU:

1. The exact same benefits as today
2. No hard border on the island of Ireland or across the UK
3. Fully negotiated by March 2019
4. No payment for access to the EU market
5. A complete end to EU rules and regulations
6. Continuation of all EU trade deals and new deals ready to come into force

Listed below are the promises made by you and your Ministers, in your own words.

We have grave doubts as to whether these six promises can be delivered, and we do not believe they are all desirable. But they are the commitments against which your speech tomorrow will be judged. If you back away from them everybody has the right to ask whether the reality of Brexit matches up to what has been promised.

The time for deceptive rhetoric and outlandish promises is now over. There are only two options today: you must explain to the British public how you will deliver on the promises you have made, or come clean that the Brexit you and your ministers have promised is not feasible.

Your sincerely,

Vince Cable MP

Caroline Lucas MP

Chuka Umunna MP

You can read all the evidence here. 

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social