UK ‘set for Ukraine-style EU trade deal’ says Merkel MEP

A German-Scottish MEP often described as German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s right-hand man has claimed the UK will end up with a Ukraine-style free trade agreement after Brexit.

David McAllister, who holds dual citizenship thanks to his Scottish father, is vice-president of the conservative European People’s Party and chairman of the European Parliament foreign affairs committee.

The EU-Ukrainian deal provides preferential access to EU markets, but does not insist on free movement of workers, a key point for hard Brexiteers in the UK.

Mr McAllister said: “I believe it will be a British model and it will be closest to Ukraine, with a deep and comprehensive free trade deal and partnership on security.

“In five or seven years’ time, it will be something similar. The idea you can leave the EU in two years – nobody in Brussels thinks that’s feasible.

“The EU is well prepared for these negotiations and has been preparing itself for the idea the UK will leave the single market and customs union.

“However, the best trade deal is to remain a member of the single market – you cannot get a better trade deal.”

Mr McAllister said he was baffled by the growing clamour for a hard Brexit involving ditching single market membership.

He added: “The British more or less invented the single market.

“They were the driving force behind it and without Margaret Thatcher there would be no single market. The single market is the most important trading partner for the UK, so I don’t know why people talk like this.

“If you have left the single market, you can regulate immigration in a different style, that’s true, but 50% of UK immigration is coming from outside the EU anyway.”

Mr McAllister argued that any different deal for a softer Brexit for Scotland would be dependent on the will of the UK Government unless there was a successful independence referendum.

He said: “Scotland’s 62% vote to remain in the EU is higher than you would get in most EU member states.

“The Scots are very active here in Brussels and there are possibilities for the Scottish to make their points clearly and speak to MEPs.”

David McAllister has German-Scottish nationality