Sadiq Khan mocked for suggesting London could opt out of Brexit

Sadiq Khan was given a rough ride on Twitter after he suggested that Britain's departure from the EU need not apply to London 
Sadiq Khan was given a rough ride on Twitter after he suggested that Britain's departure from the EU need not apply to London 

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, was lampooned on social media on Monday after he called for the capital to be given special treatment after Brexit by being allowed to remain in the single market and customs union. 

Mr Khan had seized on the implications of a leaked document which suggested the UK had agreed to grant Northern Ireland special status within the UK to avoid a hard border with the Republic of Ireland. 

According to that document, the British government was prepared “in the absence of agreed solutions" to ensure "continued regulatory alignment” in Northern Ireland. 

In response, Mr Khan said in a tweet that this presented "huge ramifications" for London's relationship with the EU. 

It later emerged that the deal - which did not explicitly mention keeping Northern Ireland in the single market and customs union - collapsed following resistance from the DUP. 

London voted strongly in favour of remaining in the EU, with more 70 per cent rejecting Brexit in some boroughs.

Anti-Brexit campaigners responded with glee to Mr Khan's proposal as it opened the door to some parts of the country enjoying ongoing benefits of EU membership, such as freedom of movement. 

Others, however, were quick to point out that Mr Khan's plans could throw up customs posts between the British capital and the rest of the country - not to mention a nightmare for Eurostar operators.

Several joked that Britain could eventually see the "hard border" officials are trying to avoid on the island of Ireland being erected on the M25 motorway, on the outskirts of London.

And some Twitter users felt the proposal opened a can of worms whereby any person, town or region could start asking for special treatment as part of the negotiations. 

Mr Khan is not the only politician to demand some form of special status after Brexit. He was following the lead of Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister.  Carwyn Jones, the Welsh first minister, has also jumped on the same "special status" bandwagon. 

However, granting special arrangements to any UK region other than Northern Ireland looks highly unlikely -  unless the British government radically shifts its negotiating position. 

Theresa May has said the UK will leave the single market and the customs union as a whole, which will allow the government to set its own regulations and sign trade deals with third countries.

There is little evidence at this stage that she will change course.

Critics of Mr Khan, Ms Sturgeon and Mr Jones also point out that they are not comparing like for like.

Northern Ireland is recognised  by both the UK and EU as being in a "unique geographical situation" and that this requires a "unique solution" to problems arising from customs and trade barriers.

Both sides also agree Northern Ireland deserves being treated as a unique case because the risk of a hard border could undermine the Good Friday Agreement.

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