Brussels’ approach to talks is bewildering and reckless says City envoy
THE EU’s Brexit negotiators have been attacked for their ‘ bewildering and reckless’ approach by the City of London’s top Brexit envoy.
In a series of dispatches to UK ministers, Jeremy Browne says the European Union is ‘affronted’ by the idea of London being ‘brazenly unaffected’ by Brexit.
He also accuses the EU of having an ‘inability to comprehend British politics, or read the British character at the most elementary level’.
Mr Browne, who is the City of London Corporation’s special representative to the EU, paints a colourful and often withering picture of EU opinions on Brexit.
In one dispatch, the former Lib Dem Home Office minister writes that Poland, although a ‘proper player’ and an instinctive ally, has a ‘myopic obsession with the size of Britain’s exit fee’.
He also writes that Switzerland is ‘quite negative’ about the EU and ‘see[s] opportunities in Brexit’, though remains ‘nervous’ about a cliff-edge departure. He says the country’s dream is for an ‘F4’ alliance with London, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Meanwhile, Estonia and Latvia hope that the UK remains ‘a bulwark against Russian aggression’. Mr Browne wrote: ‘They value Britain’s big defence budget and willingness to spend it on meaningful military end product, combined with Britain’s leadership in Nato and close relationship with America. It is important for them to avoid unnecessary acrimony between the EU27 and the UK.’
In terms of siding with the UK’s interests, Mr Browne said Finland and Sweden were sympathetic, though ‘their herbivorous nature prevents them from grabbing the steering wheel’.
He added the Italians ‘retain a sentimental affinity for Britain’ and are judged to be more ‘conciliatory than the French or Germans’. He also warns that the European Union has ‘no obvious appetite’ to agree a Brexit transition phase with Britain.
But he says there is a recognition that Britain is an ‘exceptional case ... and that a bespoke deal will need to be crafted and struck’. Chancellor Philip Hammond has proposed a transition period to give busi- nesses and the country time to adjust to Brexit. In another dispatch, dated from May, Mr Browne reveals his concerns over the way Brussels is handling negotiations.
‘Some brinkmanship is inevitable, but it requires good judgement about where the brink is,’ he wrote. ‘The inability of Brussels to comprehend British politics, or read the British character at the most elementary level, is bewildering; reckless even.
‘It is true that the British often suffer from similar failings, but the relevant consideration with Brexit is the interaction between the EU and Britain. If Croatia was leaving we would all have to brush up on the psyche of the Croatians, but they are not.’
Despite his frustrations with the negotiations, Mr Browne believes they ‘will ultimately succeed, or at least not wholly fail’. He added that in various areas there was ‘a recognition of the scale of the City of London, and acknowledgment that inflicting excessive harm on London would have negative consequences for the EU27 as well as for Britain’. He also wrote: ‘The EU27 (or, more specifically, the Eurozone) has a supervisory and quasi-nationalistic desire to prevent business continuing as usual in London post- Brexit ... they are also affronted by the idea of London remaining brazenly unaffected.’
A City of London Corporation spokesman said: ‘These memos are the corporation’s key points from meetings across member states with government representatives, financial institutions and a host of trade bodies,’ adding the memos keep UK businesses and policy makers informed.