Britain walking away from fight against terror, says Barnier
MICHEL BARNIER has accused Britain of walking away from Europe rather than “joining forces to fight terrorism” in one of his most critical speeches since the vote to leave the EU.
The EU’S chief Brexit negotiator also implied that British politicians had not been honest with businesses about the impact of Brexit as he put himself forward as the man who could be trusted.
His comments came less than a week before Theresa May holds a crucial meeting with Jean-claude Juncker, the European Commission president, which could prove key to whether Brussels allows talks on a trade deal to begin. Speaking in Berlin, Mr Barnier said the result of the EU referendum had been a “shock”.
He said: “It was a decision that came after a series of attacks on European soil, committed by young people who grew up in Europe, in our countries.
“It was a decision that came six months after the French minister of defence issued a call for solidarity to all his European counterparts to join forces to fight terrorism. Never had the need to be together, to protect ourselves together, to act together been so strong, so manifest. Yet rather than stay shoulder to shoulder... the British chose to be on their own again.”
He also insisted Britain would have to leave Europol, the European policing agency, after Brexit but Downing Street said the matter was part of an “ongoing negotiation” and that “we want to play a full part in the security of the EU and Europe after we leave”.
No 10 also stressed “the leading role Britain plays and continues to play” in fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant both online and in the field.