Isabel Oakeshott says Brexit has a ‘raft of benefits’ – but fails to name one

On Good Morning Britain, Isabel Oakeshott and former Labour home secretary Jacqui Smith gave their reactions to the news, with the latter accusing the former of  “cheerleading” for the government.

“With all respect to Jacqui”, Oakeshott said, “I don’t think people want to hear from those still bemoaning the fact we are leaving at all. 

“Instead of harping on about how good things would be if we stayed within the EU, we should now start seeking the very great opportunities there will be for us outside the EU. 

“This is not a perfect deal, especially in terms of fishing, but it allows us to move on and move out, and delivers on the votes of 17.4m people.”

But when asked by presenters Charlotte Hawkins and Sean Fletcher to elaborate on what those opportunities were, Oakeshott answered that the country was “finally in charge of its own destiny”.

She added: “I think we should turn ourselves into a low-tax economy and attract outward investment from all over the world.

“We’re now free to do our own deals with other countries.

“There are a raft of benefits, and we don’t have long enough here to go through them.”

Smith, meanwhile, lamented the loss of access to Europol databases and the lack of job protections offered by the deal, arguing that Oakeshott was nothing but a “cheerleader” for Brexit.

Twitter users, soon to react, pointed out the irony in Oakeshott’s difficulty recalling any tangible “benefits”.

One user said: “Here we go. Singapore on Thames. Low tax, no public services, no workers rights. Race to the bottom to benefit the wealthy like Isabel. It’s what they always wanted.”

Another bemoaned that Oakeshott’s “low-tax haven” was “the only competitive advantage the UK would now be able to exercise”.

Others mocked her equivocation, saying: “Funny how she hasn’t found the time in four years to list the benefits.”