Barnier did not call May’s Chequers plan ‘dead’ but he rejects key elements

KEY ELEMENTS of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Chequers plan for Brexit are “not acceptable” to Brussels, the EU’s chief negotiator has told MPs.

But a transcript of Michel Barnier’s evidence to the Commons Brexit Committee showed that he did not describe the blueprint agreed at the PM’s country residence in July and set out in the Government’s Brexit White Paper as “dead”.

In a hearing of the committee in Westminster on Wednesday, Labour MP Stephen Kinnock broke into French to claim that the EU negotiator had told them “les propositions sont mortes” “the proposals are dead”.

But a transcript of Monday’s meeting, held behind closed doors in Brussels, shows that, in response to repeated questioning over whether the proposals were dead, Mr Barnier insisted he was not rejecting them outright.

Asked by committee chairman Hilary Benn whether the Chequers plan was “dead in the water”, Mr Barnier replied: “In the White Paper there are lots of positive things, lots of useful things, just to make that absolutely clear.

“I did not just reject the White Paper outright; that is just not true. I hope that you will understand that.”

However, he made clear that Brussels will not accept Mrs May’s proposals on customs arrangements, as well as her suggestion that the UK and EU could have a free trade area with a common rulebook for goods but not services.