Davis: UK can only delay a few weeks
FORMER Brexit Secretary David Davis yesterday said the UK’s exit should only be delayed by a few weeks to secure an amended deal.
He said he would not be too worried about leaving after March 29, but warned that a deal must then be done.
His remarks come after several Cabinet ministers also said Britain might not be leaving next month.
Mr Davis said EU fears of a no-deal had put pressure on the Commission to come back to the table with a serious change of offer.
He said: “If they come back and we get near the 29th and haven’t quite concluded it, I wouldn’t worry about a week or two or three. But bear in mind, the European Union itself cannot really countenance more than a couple of months’ extension because of the effect of the European elections.
“If they extend it much more than that we would have to have an election for MEPs. If there’s one thing the EU doesn’t want back – it’s Nigel Farage.”
Mr Davis spoke at the unveiling of a proposal for zero tariffs and no restrictions on goods, farm and food products, along with the “maximum liberalisation” of services.
The document – part of a sequence of reports under the slogan A Better Deal – calls for easier access to temporary business visas, free flows of capital and no state subsidies.