Brexit star wars! Now EU tries to cut us out of satellite project we funded

BRITAIN will threaten to block access to three vital island territories if it is cut out of an EU satellite project.

The European Commission has warned the UK’s involvement in the £8.5billion Galileo programme will have to be ‘readjusted’ to reflect security fears about ‘third nations’ after Brexit.

Ministers are furious because Britain has given £350million to the project, which aims to build a European rival to the American GPS system. They fear UK companies could be frozen out of lucrative work – to the benefit of French rivals.

Our armed forces might also be denied technology that helps planes, cars and mobile phones with pin-point navigation.

Sources say ministers are preparing to ‘remind’ the EU the project needs access to equipment on the Falklands and the Ascension Islands in the South Atlantic, and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Brexit Secretary David Davis will write to Theresa May setting out the UK’s options.

Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein said yesterday: ‘Now is the right time to start thinking about adjusting cooperation with regard to Galileo.’