EU divorce bill may be slashed to £35bn

BRUSSELS is prepared to slash the size of the divorce bill it expects the UK to pay to boost the chances of securing a Brexit deal, it emerged yesterday.

EU chiefs had been expected to demand a settlement of up to £87billion, but in a significant climbdown, negotiating plans have revealed they could be willing to accept a long-term payment of £35billion instead.

It will encourage UK negotiators who had expected bitter clashes over the figure.

But the shift towards a less aggressive approach came as British officials accused Brussels of holding up negotiations after the general election.

The UK had wanted to start ‘technical talks’ on provisional issues while Theresa May dealt with the fall-out of the poll but sources said requests were met with pointblank denials by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who wanted a ceremonial start.

Brexit Secretary David Davis will begin talks with Mr Barnier in the Berlaymont, the EC’s Brussels headquarters, on Monday morning.

A Whitehall source said: ‘We have been ready for weeks. We have made several attempts to engage them and they have just said no.

‘The way it is being spun out of Brussels – that they’re sat there twiddling their fingers waiting for us to get going – is not the case. We know exactly what we’re doing.’

Speculation about a ‘softer’ Brexit was fuelled yesterday when Chancellor Philip Hammond refused to confirm the UK will leave the EU’s single market.

Speaking in Luxembourg, he simply said Britain would follow ‘broad principles’ during talks.

UK officials are expected to start the negotiations on Monday by making an offer that would in effect hand British citizenship to the three million EU nationals living in the country.