Davis: We won’t cave in to Brussels bullies
DAVID Davis last night sent a defiant message to Brussels that Britain will not cave in to the EU’s demand for a swingeing divorce payment. In a hard-hitting Commons statement, the EU Exit Secretary warned that wrangling over the bill is likely to continue throughout the Brexit negotiations. And he admitted his clashes with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier over the demands had become “tough and confrontational”.
Tory MPs urged the Tory Cabinet minister not to give in to the bullying demands from Brussels.
Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “The EU demand for money with menaces is ridiculous.”
And former Tory minister John Redwood added the UK has “no legal obligation to pay money above our contributions up to the date of departure”.
Mr Davis confirmed his officials were digging in for a drawn out battle over the EU’s demand for up to £90billion – and the issue had become the biggest sticking point.
“My expectation is that the money argument will go on for the full duration of negotiations. The famous European line ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’ will apply here absolutely as in everywhere else,” he told the Commons.
Jeers
Mr Davis revealed that Mr Barnier had become “tetchy” during talks last week when British legal experts questioned details of the EU demand.
He was heckled by Labour MPs after acknowledging discussions in Brussels had been “tough, complex and at times confrontational”.
Labour’s Shadow EU Exit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer claimed the “slow process of progress” in the talks was a “real cause for concern”.
But Mr Davis silenced jeers by pointing out Labour was deeply split on Brexit.
“I only have to negotiate with Brussels, he has to negotiate with his entire front bench!” he joked.
Mr Davis also confirmed that a transition period to new arrangements will follow Britain’s formal departure from the EU in 2019.
“There is now, I think, widespread agreement across Europe that it will be beneficial to have an implementation period”, he told the Commons.
The EU Exit Department last night revealed that the Government wants Britain’s cooperation with the EU on science and innovation projects to continue after we leave the EU. A Whitehall Brexit negotiating paper said the UK could remain signed up to the EU’s space satellite projects Galileo and Copernicus.
Meanwhile, senior backbencher Mr Rees-Mogg last night dismissed the speculation about his Tory leadership prospects. He said: “Let me be absolutely clear: I’m not a candidate.”
It follows a survey that he is the popular choice of Tory activists to be the party’s next leader.