Bullish Theresa and a shot across EU’s bows
AFTER the tragi- comic mishaps of Manchester, Theresa May was in an ebullient mood yesterday, sending out a clear signal to Brussels that if its negotiators continue to stall, Britain is fully prepared to leave the EU without a deal.
Apparently over the hacking cough that ruined her conference speech, this was an upbeat Prime Minister with a positive message. Britain wants a ‘dynamic, creative, unique and ambitious economic partnership’ with Europe, ‘ unequivocally committed to free trade and high standards’.
But there can be no half measures – no limbo in which we languish half in, half out of the EU. It’s a good deal or no deal.
Either way, after Brexit we will operate as an ‘independent trading nation’ – outside the single market and the customs union.
This was exactly the sort of clarity her party and the country needed to hear. And to ram the point home, she published two papers giving details of how trade and customs arrangements will work ‘from day one after Brexit’ in the event of no deal.
True, she was vague on how long we must remain under the jurisdiction of the European Court but her overall tone was reassuringly bullish.
For too long, Michel Barnier and the preposterous Jean-Claude Juncker have been allowed to take the initiative in these talks, blocking progress and sneering at our negotiators.
Cheered on by British Remainers and doomsayers (like the woeful Nick Clegg, who was at it again yesterday, trying desperately to sabotage the democratic will of the people) they think that if they can obfuscate and delay long enough, Brexit may not happen.
They are wrong. Britain is leaving the EU on March 29, 2019 come what may. Yes, there will be a transitional period after that but it will be strictly time-limited.
True, if we leave without a deal, it will pose problems for this country. But for German car makers, French wine producers and Irish farmers, it will be a disaster.
For all his swagger, Mr Barnier’s hand is a lot weaker than he would have us believe.
and whose goods would suddenly face new tariffs and customs checks. Importers would be required to give advance notice of goods arriving in the UK.
And new lorry parks would be set up inland to handle customs checks to stop ports becoming clogged up.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the documents showed ‘ no real progress has been made’.
The EU’S chief Brexit negotiator believes that speeding up talks on the ‘transition’ deal Theresa May has requested could break the deadlock in negotiations. Michel Barnier has told European diplomats bringing forward discussions on the arrangement will help the Brexit talks to succeed.
Theresa May yesterday repeated her wish to start crafting an ‘implementation period’, which would effectively see the UK remaining part of the EU bloc for two years after Brexit in 2019.
EU leaders are expected to discuss the move in Brussels next week.