Brexit: Jeremy Hunt doesn't deny he was behind 'UK seeks Swiss-style deal' allegation

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Jeremy Hunt did not deny that he was behind a claim that the UK would seek a "Swiss-style deal" to improve the Brexit deal - but insisted failing to inform him is his aim.

Questioned by MPs, the Chancellor said "I don't support, I don't never considered" tearing up Boris Johnson's threadbare deal, despite being blamed for a sharp fall in GDP and cross-Channel trade.

But Mr Hunt has repeatedly failed to deny that he or a Treasury aide had briefed reporters ahead of last weekend's story that reignited the Conservative wars on Europe.

Instead, he said, "I'm not not, and the Treasury is not, the source of any suggestion that we want to walk away from the trade and cooperation agreement, or not have sovereign control."

Mr. Hunt walked away from his claim that the "vast majority" of trade barriers can be removed in coming years, without rewriting the 2020 deal - but without explaining how.

On Monday, No 10f echoed this assertion and Rishi Sunak swore: "Under my leadership, the UK will not pursue any relationship with Europe that is based on alignment with EU laws." /p>

Rumor of a 'Swiss-style deal' has erupted The Tory backbench suspects Mr Hunt - a Remainer in 2016 - of leading a Treasury bid to ease Brexit, in research economic growth.

Nigel Farage jumps on the controversy, calling it a “betrayal” and saying the Tories will be “destroyed at the next general election in ways they cannot begin to contemplate ".

However, the government is in a race against time to show voters that it can avoid the forecast of 4 per cent hit to GDP, with a trade loss of 15 per cent, because of the existing deal.

At the Commons Treasury Committee, Mr Hunt deflected a request to give a " yes/no answer" to the question of whether the Sunday Times story was informed by the Treasury.

Harriett Baldwin, its Conservative chairwoman, told her: "It looks like the hare t hat suddenly made the cover of The Sunday Times m...