Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Disturbing
EU chief’s dismay over deadlock on divorce bill Pound sinks amid fears UK will leave with no deal
month, Mrs May signalled Britain was ready to make two more years of payments during a post-brexit transition from March 2019.
The bill is estimated at £18billion from the UK side, but the PM stopped short of naming a figure. However, the EU is said to be demanding up to £100billion.
Mr Davis yesterday insisted the time was not right for making “specific commitments” on the size of the bill.
He also insisted there would be agreement “soon” on incorporating the final withdrawal treaty into UK law, ensuring EU nationals here could enforce their rights through our courts. But Labour accused ministers of “wasting months of the Brexit talks fighting among themselves”.
Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer last night wrote to Mr Davis calling on him to request an additional emergency round of talks to thrash out an agreement before next week’s summit.
He warned the latest deadlock “increases the chances that Britain will crash out of the EU without a deal”. Sir Keir added: “That would be catastrophic for jobs and living standards and must be rejected as a viable option.
“The Government must recognise the gravity of the situation.
“They must drop their ideological red lines and work round the clock to find a resolution to the current situation.”
Business chiefs also hit out at the stalemate. CBI boss Carolyn Fairbairn said: “It’s time for the Government and the EU to put people before politics and finally agree to protect our rights as they are now, even if no agreement is reached on any other matters.”
Meanwhile, Brexit-backing peer Nigel Lawson has called for Chancellor Philip Hammond to be axed and accused him of trying to “sabotage” leaving the EU.
Mr Hammond has angered Brexiteers by ruling out immediate funding to prepare for a no-deal scenario.
Asked if Mr Hammond should keep his job, ex-chancellor Mr Lawson told the BBC: “I fear not. I fear that he is unhelpful. He may not intend it but in practice what he is doing is very close to sabotage.”
He also branded pro-remain Tory backbencher Anna Soubry a “fanatic”.
Yesterday Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn insisted he still backed Remain.
He was criticised for an alleged lack of enthusiasm during the EU campaign.
Asked if he would vote Remain if a second vote was held tomorrow, Mr Corbyn replied: “It’s a hypothetical question but yes, I voted Remain because I thought the best option was to remain, I haven’t changed my mind on that.” Jamie Harron