EU chief: ‘War of attrition’ over Brexit could spell disaster for British economy
BITTER British Cabinet infighting over Brexit is an ‘unsightly war of attrition’ that could spell disaster for its economy, the European Parliament’s chief negotiator warned last night.
Guy Verhofstadt said the battle between ‘soft’ Brexiteers, led by Chancellor Philip Hammond, and ‘hard’ Brexiteers lining up behind David Davis, had thrown negotiations with Brussels into confusion – because the EU did not know which type of Brexit the British government wants.
Mr Verhofstadt, the architect of the European Parliament’s negotiating strategy, said ‘time is running out’ for the British government to avert the economic damage caused by leaving the EU without a deal.
‘What started as a catfight in the Conservative Party has now turned into an unsightly war of attrition,’ he said. Mr Verhofstadt was responding to the growing rift between Mr Hammond and Theresa May over the Brexit strategy. Mr Hammond, who fears a ‘cliff edge’ departure from the EU would be harmful to British businesses, said at the G20 summit this weekend that it would be ‘madness’ not to seek ‘the closest possible arrangement’ with the EU.
His approach contrasted with Mrs May’s attempt to use the G20 to talk up the prospect of post-Brexit, non-EU trade deals with US president Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Hard Brexiteers suspect Mr Hammond is effectively trying to block Brexit by fighting to retain membership of the EU’s customs union and single market.
Mr Verhofstadt said the infighting that followed Mrs May’s election disaster had thrown the entire Brexit process into chaos.
‘It seems to me that narrow party political interests are being put before the national interest,’ he said.
‘The economic damage wrought by a hard exit or a collapse in talks would be bad for all of us but I have little doubt the UK economy will be hit hardest.
‘The UK Government still has choices but time is running out,’ he warned.