Davis: Barnier claim makes EU look ‘silly’
Tory anger at negotiator’s comment that the British need ‘educating’ on what leaving EU really means
David Davis has accused Michel Barnier of making the European Union look “silly” after he said Britain needed to be “educated” about the perils of leaving the bloc. The EU’S chief negotiator reportedly told a conference in Italy that he viewed Brexit as an opportunity to “teach the British people and others what leaving the EU means”. He also warned of the “extremely serious consequences” of leaving the single market. Mr Davis yesterday issued a stern rebuke to his counterpart while Tory MPS greeted Mr Barnier’s comments with anger.
DAVID DAVIS has accused Michel Barnier of making the European Union look “silly” after he said Britain needed to be “educated” about the perils of leaving the bloc.
The EU’S chief negotiator reportedly told a conference in Italy that he viewed the Brexit process as an opportunity to “teach the British people and others what leaving the EU means”. He also warned of the “extremely serious consequences” of leaving the single market. But Mr Davis yesterday issued a stern rebuke to his counterpart while Tory MPS greeted Mr Barnier’s latest comments with fury.
The Brexit Secretary ridiculed the tough tone adopted by his counterpart at the close of negotiations last week when a frustrated Mr Barnier claimed
no significant progress had been made on key issues. Mr Davis told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One: “He can take whatever line he likes on the way we conduct the negotiations – that is up to us, not up to him.” He added: “Bluntly, I think it looked a bit silly because there plainly were things that we have achieved.” David Jones, a former
Brexit minister, said Mr Barnier’s view of the negotiations was evidence that the UK had made the correct decision when it voted to leave the EU.
He said: “Michel Barnier’s patronising remarks exemplify the Quai d’orsay arrogance that most Britons find repellent. His job isn’t to ‘educate’ anybody; it’s to work towards an outcome of the
current negotiations that will be to the mutual benefit of the UK and the EU. As it is, he is merely providing confirmation that we did the right thing when we voted to leave.” The escalating war of words point to ever increasing tension between the EU and the UK as Brexit talks risk sliding further into acrimony after Liam Fox, the Trade Secretary,
suggested Brussels was trying to “blackmail” Britain.
Negotiations are deadlocked over the UK’S so-called Brexit bill with a number of newspapers claiming yesterday that Mrs May is ready to sign off on a settlement worth up to £50 billion but Mr Davis dismissed the claim and said: “It’s nonsense. The story is completely wrong.” Meanwhile, Mr Davis offered Tory rebels an olive branch in a bid to avoid a defeat over the use of “Henry VIII” powers. He said the powers, outlined in the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill which MPS will debate this week, will not be used on anything “significant”. Critics fear the measures could be abused by ministers to push through law changes without full parliamentary scrutiny.
A few Tory MPS are believed to be considering joining forces with opposition parties to block the Bill over the issue. But Mr Davis moved to assuage concerns on the Government benches by insisting the powers will not be used inappropriately. He said: “Everything that is significant in terms of changes – not technical changes but significant changes – will be done in separate primary legislation. Immigrations bills, customs bills, you name it.”
Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, said yesterday that Labour will seek to scupper the passage of the Bill unless the Government listens to the party’s concerns.