Brexit talks to start on schedule despite Queen’s Speech delay

David Davis is expected to head to Brussels to start the crunch Brexit talks on Monday despite the delay to the Queen’s Speech.

The Brexit Secretary will begin talks in the Belgian capital with the European Union’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, as expected, ending doubts over the timetable for the start of the process.

The expected June 19 start date for talks had been in doubt following the General Election, which saw Theresa May lose her majority in the Commons.

The Queen’s Speech, setting out the Government’s programme, has been delayed from June 19 until June 21 next week as Mrs May seeks support for her minority administration from the Democratic Unionist Party.

But it is understood the situation in Westminster will not impact the start of the crucial negotiations on leaving the EU.

The senior official at the Department for Exiting the European Union, Olly Robbins, has been in Brussels this week for preliminary talks.

In a hint at a softer approach, Mr Davis said on Monday “we will start down this process” by focusing on the divorce proceedings from the EU before moving on to trade.

Brussels has insisted talks on the socalled divorce, taking in issues including the fee the UK will have to pay to sever its ties, must make sufficient progress before any discussion on a future trade agreement could begin.