Battle lines are drawn as EU talks begin in earnest
May mixes soft tone with stark warning on deal plans
BRITAIN HAS set out its position on our future relationship with Europe, as officials on both sides of the Channel received the goahead to begin negotiations on the terms of any Brexit deal.
Presenting her demands in a letter to EU leaders yesterday, the Prime Minister mixed a softer tone on the economy and the need for co-operation with a tough warning that a failure to secure a new deal would risk undermining European security.
Her resolute approach was matched by counterparts in Brussels, as European Council President Donald Tusk warned that upcoming talks will be an exercise in “damage control” and German leader Angela Merkel issued an outright rejection of calls to conduct trade talks in parallel.
The Prime Minister was also last night forced to deny accusations that she is using security as a “bargaining chip” with Brussels, as critics warned such threats “will backfire”.
Confirming the UK’s “momentous” decision to trigger Article 50 in a statement to the Commons, Theresa May struck a conciliatory tone, as she expressed her commitment to pursuing a “deep and special partnership” with the EU.
She told MPs that the UK Government “will work constructively” with European officials “in a spirit of sincere cooperation” in order to bring this partnership into being.
But in contrast, her letter to Mr Tusk was laced with warnings, as she stated that “a failure to reach” a new trade agreement “would mean our cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened”. She added that this deal “should be of greater scope and ambition than any such agreement before it”, and should be negotiated alongside the terms of Britain’s withdrawal.
European leaders were quick to respond to Mrs May’s letter, with Mr Tusk describing it as a sad day for both London and Brussels.
The former prime minister of Poland went on to warn that there will be “nothing to win” from the 24-month negotiating process, which will amount to no more than “damage control”.
Mrs Merkel also ruled out any discussion of a new deal before divorce talks are completed.
She told reporters in Berlin: “The negotiations must first clarify how we will disentangle our interlinked relationship... and only when this question is dealt with, can we, hopefully soon af- ter, begin talking about our future relationship.”
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats seized on the Prime Minister’s comments about security, with leader Tim Farron claiming it was “shameful that Theresa May has threatened to withdraw security co-operation from our closest neighbours and allies”. “Security is too important to be used as a bargaining chip and this will backfire in any negotiations,” he said.
But Mrs May’s official spokesman later dismissed suggestions of a threat, saying it was a “simple statement of fact”. They also stressed it was “solely” referring to security arrangements made via the EU, not private intelligence sharing agreements.