OUTRAGE AS EU PUT NEW BLOCK ON TRADE TALKS
CALLS for Theresa May to be ready to walk out of Brexit talks intensified last night after the EU’s chief negotiator blamed Britain for a “disturbing deadlock”.
Michel Barnier admitted the EU’s demand for a multibillion pound divorce payment had become a massive stumbling block in the quest for a deal and warned the UK to expect “no concessions”.
He confirmed that he will urge European leaders to refuse permission at a crunch Brussels summit next week for the talks to move on to the issue of trade next month.
The EU diplomat’s terse rejection of Britain’s request to advance the negotiations was a blow to the Prime Minister’s hopes of beginning trade discussions by the end of the year.
But Mrs May was hopeful that a breakthrough could be on the horizon following Mr Barnier’s suggestion that “decisive progress is within our grasp” and could be achieved within the next two months.
Questioned about the talks during a visit to Manchester yesterday, the Prime Minister said: “There has actually been good progress made in these talks and Michel Barnier himself has recognised that over the coming weeks we will be able to make constructive progress as well. I know that there has been a lot of work put into this and many issues on which we are very close to agreement such as on citizen rights... which is important because we want EU citizens to stay here in the UK.
“But we also want to ensure that we get into the business of talking about the future relationship and the future partnership we are going to have with the EU.”
She said her keynote speech about Brexit in Florence had set out “a positive agenda for the future”, adding: “We look forward to moving on to being able to talk about that.”
Anti-Brussels campaigners last night seized on Mr Barnier’s remarks as fresh evidence of intransigence among EU chiefs.
John Longworth, co-chairman of the Leave Means Leave pressure group, said: “The EU has yet again shown that it is obstructing Brexit negotiations. The Prime Minister is right to plan for all outcomes and next week she must make it clear to EU leaders that Britain is prepared to walk away from negotiations without a deal.
“Britain will thrive outside of the EU by taking advantage of the opportunities Brexit offers. In reality, no deal is not just better than a bad deal – it may be the best deal.”
Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, a supporter of the Eurosceptic campaign group Change Britain, added: “The European Commission needs to understand that the UK is going to leave the EU in March 2019 with or without a deal. If Brussels is serious about reaching a deal, they should move negotiations forward.”
Mr Barnier’s verdict followed the fifth round of talks between UK and EU officials in Brussels yesterday.
At a joint news conference with Brexit Secretary David Davis, the EU chief negotiator confirmed the divorce payment remained a rift.
Mr Barnier said: “The UK told us again this week that it still could not clarify these commitments. Therefore, there was no negotiation on this, but we did have technical discussions. We are, therefore, at a deadlock. This is extremely disturbing for European taxpayers and those who benefit from EU policies.”
Mr Barnier insisted any deal between the UK and the EU could not be built on “concessions”. He added: “I remain convinced that with political will, decisive progress is within our reach.”
Mr Davis added: “Our negotiating teams have continued to work constructively together in a professional and determined manner this week.”