Home secretary Amber Rudd was already having a tough week as she faced calls for her to resign over her handling of the Windrush scandal. But on Thursday lunchtime it went from bad to worse when she raised the prospect of Britain staying in the European Union customs union – before issuing a clarification on Twitter within the hour.
Just a couple of hours after enduring another bruising encouter in the Commons over Windrush, Rudd, one of the leading campaigners for Remain during the referendum, was the guest at a press gallery lunch in Westminster.
She was asked whether she would personally vote to keep Britain in the customs union if she was a backbench MP.
"I am committed to the government’s position, which to some extent we are still working on," she said.
Later she was asked whether it was more or less likely that the UK would stay in the customs union. She replied: "I’m afraid I’m not going to be drawn on that. We still have a few discussions to be had, in a really positive, consensual, easy way amongst some of my cabinet colleagues, in order to arrive at a final position."
Her words sparked an immediate storm as they starkly contradicted Downing Street's restated assurances this week that the UK would indeed leave the customs union.
The timing could hardly have been worse, coinciding with the House of Commons debating whether Britain should stay in the customs union, which allows goods to be transported between EU countries without tariffs.
Eeek - seems Rudd has started a new row by not quite confirming that UK will leave customs union, which is, of course, the oft stated govt position that Brexiteers are v suspicious of
The PM has been at pains to reassure anxious Brexiteers in her party that she will not be swayed by attempts in parliament – including a defeat in the House of Lords last week – to keep Britain in the customs union.
Within an hour, amid a growing Twitterstorm in Westminster, Rudd used Twitter to clarify her comments.
Thanks to the Press Gallery for hosting me at a challenging yet enjoyable lunch. I should have been clearer - of course when we leave the EU we will be leaving the customs union. I wasn't going to get into ongoing cabinet discussions about our future trading relationship.
Labour seized on her initial comments, however. Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said: "Amber Rudd appears to have let slip that discussions around the cabinet table about negotiating a customs union with the EU have not concluded.
"If that is so, then the prime minister should rethink her approach and listen to the growing chorus of voices in parliament and in business that believe she has got it wrong on a customs union."
Lib Dem MP Layla Moran, a spokesperson for the Best for Britain campaign, said: "Amber Rudd has let the cat out of the bag. The government at the highest level has no idea what their plan for the customs union really is. They are utterly and completely shambolic."
And it wasn't just opposition MPs who went for the home secretary. Hardcore Brexiteer Tory Peter Bone criticised her on Twitter.
At the press gallery lunch today, could not understand why Amber Rudd did not support government policy to leave the Customs Union. We cannot have Home Sec not supporting this key plank of Brexit!
The prime minister's spokesperson said later: "The government's position on the customs union is very clear. We are leaving the customs union, we're not joining a customs union."
He added: "I believe the home secretary has been clear that we are leaving the customs union."