UK could pay to stay in free trade zone
BREXIT Secretary David Davis was accused of going “weak at the knees” last night after suggesting the UK would consider paying the EU to get tariff-free access to the single market.
Mr Davis was asked in the House of Commons if the Government would consider making a contribution “in any shape or form” as part of Brexit negotiations.
He told MPs the “major criteria” was getting the best possible access for goods and services to the EU market.
Mr Davis said if that was included “then of course we would consider it”. It is the first time a minister has openly signalled that taxpayers’ cash could be handed to the European Union to secure favourable trade terms with the remaining 27 states after we leave the bloc.
Ukip MEP Gerard Batten said: “David Davis is already going weak at the knees. It is ridiculous to offer to pay to trade with the EU. Every country in the world has access to the single market.”
He said ministers should “take the initiative” and offer the EU a choice of either continued free trade or impose tariffs that “would impact far more on them than it would on us”.
Theresa May has said she will trigger formal Brexit talks before April next year.
The Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman said Mr Davis’s comments were “consistent with what we’ve said to date” and added: “We are preparing for negotiations. They haven’t started.”
Chancellor Philip Hammond said during a visit to Scotland: “What matters in the package we get is a package that maximises the benefit to the UK economy, allowing British businesses, British workers, to continue selling the goods and services that they produce into the EU and vice versa.”
Labour MP Pat McFadden, of the pro-EU Open Britain group, said Mr Davis’s comments were “a rare dose of realism”.
He added: “The Leave campaign’s story was that we could keep everything we have in terms of market access for goods and services but not have to pay a penny for it.”
The pound surged on news the Government could pay for single market access, up one per cent against the US dollar to a three-week high of 1.26. Against the euro sterling rose 0.63 per cent to 1.18 euro.