The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
UK and EU will be ‘partners’ in face of threats
Continued close co-operation with the EU on defence and foreign affairs will be “vital” to Britain’s interests after Brexit, the government has said.
A paper setting out the government’s hopes for the future after withdrawal makes clear the UK is ready to continue contributing troops, equipment, expertise and money to EU operations and to align foreign policy with Brussels where appropriate. The paper on foreign policy, defence and development offers an “unprecedentedly” deep future partnership. And it says the UK will have to “work close together” with the EU to meet challenges from terrorism, cyber-attack, migration, Russian aggression and rogue states.
Opponents of a hard Brexit said the paper’s assessment of the importance of continued UK/EU co-operation made “a mockery” of Theresa May’s threat to walk away without a deal if Brussels does not deliver favourable terms on trade.
In March, the prime minister warned failure to reach a deal would mean that “co-operation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened”. But defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon said: “We want to fight terrorism together. It’s vital. We are not making threats.”
Labour MP Chris Bryant said: “The government’s intention to continue to share a deep foreign policy and security relationship with the EU in future is welcome, but it makes a mockery of their threat to leave the EU with no deal at all.”
“Makes mockery of their threat to leave the EU with no deal”