The pro-EU former Cabinet minister helped topple Margaret Thatcher in 1990
He admitted today 'Brexit is going to happen' after Boris Johnson's election win
Added: 'There will now be a long period of uncertainty, we can't escape that'
Remainers suffered such a heavy defeat in Thursday's election that the issue of EU membership is dead for 20 years, former Tory minister Michael Heseltine admitted today.
The pro-EU former Cabinet minister, who helped topple Margaret Thatcher in 1990, admitted 'we've lost' and 'Brexit is going to happen' after Boris Johnson's comprehensive election victory.
Lord Heseltine, who sparked uproar when he switched allegiance to the pro-Remain Liberal Democrats before the election, spoke after Mr Johnson walked away with an 80-seat Tory majority that will allow his to steamroll Brexit laws through Parliament before the end of January.
Asked whether the Remain fight is over on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Lord Heseltine said: 'Well we've lost, let's not muck about with the language. We've lost, Brexit is going to happen and we have to live with it.
'I've made my views pretty clear and there will now be a long period of uncertainty, but we can't escape from that, so we must do the best we can.'
Asked whether he would campaign to rejoin the EU if that battle has gone, he said: 'Well no I don't think it has gone, but it won't be my generation, it'll be 20 years or something before the issue is once again raised as an issue.
'And of course, you know, you can't escape the devastating result for Northern Ireland and Scotland, so the agenda is not going away.'
Pressed on if he regrets endorsing the Liberal Democrats, Lord Heseltine added: 'Well you have to weigh up loyalties, didn't you, and it was agonising of course, but where is my loyalty? To what?
'Is it to my party or to my country or to my own integrity or to all those Conservative prime ministers I followed since Winston Churchill? I joined the Tory party in 1951.'
His abject surrender came as a former aide to Theresa May when she was prime minister insisted that a 'limited' trade deal with the EU is possible before the rnsition period is due to end in December 2020.
Raoul Ruparel, Mrs May's special adviser on Europe, told the BBC: 'I think it is possible to get a free trade agreement in place that looks at quite standard provisions on level playing fields, such as the type that the EU have done with other countries, and also offers zero tariffs.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Heseltine.html
