EU divorce bill offer ‘off table’ without UK agreeing Brussels partnership

Russell McGhee: We should be allowed to leave for nothing, other than paying our dues up to and including the day we leave. We should then be allowed to trade freely. Nobody should be punished for leaving a club.

Graham Shields: Itwasa legal contract the British Government signed, so you can’t just leave.

Russell McGhee: Why not? We’re terminating the contract on the democratic

will of the British people.

Jake O Donnghaile: When you sign a contract and have generated money because of that contract, then you have to honour it, or you break the rules.

Neil Gillespie: Graham Shields, the only thing legally binding is the pensions we owe all British MEPs. Our budget contributions can legally stop the day we officially leave.

George Connolly: I’m born English and, unfortunately, have to agree with Jake on this one. It’s not a leaving bill, but a promise of guaranteed payment for various EU projects. We British signed up to that, so there’s no escape. I don’t like it any more than anyone else, but a contract, as signed in this case, has to be upheld.

Brian Barnes: Russell McGhee, who’s going to pay for all the pensions for British diplomats,

insurances and previous agreements? This is not free money; it’s money that’s owed.

Russell McGhee: How much do we owe, Brian? And how much is punishment money?

Michael Hegarty: Watch what happens to the British credit rating and repayment levels if they fail to accept their debts accrued as a member of the EU. They would not be the first country that was

forced to repay a debt with interest.

Paul Magee: We fought two world wars to save Europe. They should be paying us.

Brian Barnes: Russell McGhee, I don’t know what “punishment money” you’re referring to.

Graham Shields: Paul Magee, it’s a contract. And just so you know, most of the world fought in that, not just the British.