UK hits back after EU criticises ‘fantasy’ approach to Brexit withdrawal negotiations

CHANCELLOR PHILIP Hammond has hit back at claims from European Union officials that Britain has a “fantasy” approach to Brexit negotiations.

Mr Hammond insisted that talks with EU officials were “constructive” after reports from the continent that Britain was being “unrealistic” and little progress had been made in the latest round of talks in recent days.

In what appeared to be a coordinated effort yesterday, Prime Minister Theresa May’s chief Europe adviser Olly Robbins also praised Government efforts.

Arriving in Brussels for talks with other finance ministers at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Mr Hammond said: “We are having very constructive discussions, I don’t think that is a particularly helpful comment (from EU officials).

“There are obviously a wide range of views on both sides but everybody that I have engaged with has been very constructive, very keen, to find a way to move forward.

“We are very conscious of the ticking clock and the need to make significant progress for the June European Council and that is what we are here to do.”

Tensions ratcheted up after the UK made clear it would seek a return of £1bn in funding it has put into the Galileo satellite system if the EU continued to shut Britain out of key aspects of the project post-Brexit.

Mr Hammond added that the UK was prepared to seek external non-European partners to develop its own rival to Galileo and the US GPS system if it had to, saying: “We need access to a satellite system of this kind; our plan has always been to work as a core member of the Galileo project, contributing financially and technically to the project.

“If that proves impossible then Britain will have to go it alone, possibly with other partners outside Europe and the US, to build a third competing system.

“But for national security strategic reasons, we need access to a system and we will ensure we will get it.”

The British economy grew by a meagre 0.1 per cent in the first quarter, the slowest pace in five years, the Office for National Statistics revealed yesterday.