EU wants to make life hard for us

WITH a weakened hand, Theresa May and David Davies are now negotiating with Michel Barnier a new relationship with Europe.

This is scheduled to be completed by March 2019. But Brussels has emphasised that its four red lines are not negotiable – namely, freedom of movement of labour, goods, capital and services. They have made it plain that they will not budge on these matters so I am not sure if there is any point in wasting British taxpayers’ money arguing with them.

Mr Barnier has made it very clear that the divorce bill has to be settled, the size of which seems to vary from month to month, but always in a northerly direction.

Neither the Prime Minister nor David Davies has indicated precisely what their final answer to this demand will be, but I suppose that is understandable as they wish to have a few cards up their sleeve.

Now I feel that the EU is going to be very obdurate. This attitude was demonstrated before Christmas, when the British Government was quite prepared to guarantee the status of European Nationals in this country if the EU would reciprocate for those British subjects living and working in the remaining 27 countries of the ‘club’. Brussels flatly refused, although the rumour was that Germany’s Angela Merkel gave such an agreement the thumbs down, wishing it to be part of overall negotiations.

With goodwill, I am sure that arrangements benefiting both sides could be hammered out. Sadly, this is not likely to happen, for Brussels has to ensure that the UK will suffer as a result of Brexit, for if we were to profit, then other EU members might wish to quit, and that would be quite disastrous for Euroland.

Newly elected French President, Emmanuel Macron has indicated that he hopes that the British will do a U-turn and ask to remain in the club. This will not happen, for we value our freedom.

Better to quit now and then negotiate terms with our friends on the continent, for some of them regard the UK as a valuable customer. Russell Luckock is chairman of Birmingham pressings

firm AE Harris