Tim Newark
the pantomime of negotiation. As always in business two sides start at opposite positions and then bargain their way towards a compromise.
No surprise here that with such huge sums at stake and the future careers of EU bureaucrats in peril it should all get a bit fractious.
What is extraordinary however is how the liberal media – especially the BBC and Channel 4 – always seem shocked at this theatrical process, casting David Davis as the intransigent unrealistic villain and Barnier as the reasonable, offended hero.
Why do they see every EU conflict from the point of view of Brussels? The answer is simple. Most of these Leftleaning journalists voted Remain. They want to exacerbate any argument that will prevent the Government securing a good deal and proving that Brexit was in fact an excellent idea. So much for so-called impartial reporting.
But it is all not as unresolvable as it first appears. Behind closed doors it has been suggested by both sides that a more reasonable exit figure would be €30billion – the equivalent of roughly two years of the UK’s current contributions, which could be paid during any transition period.
If that sum eases the way towards a swift trade agreement then it may be a price worth paying. But it is certainly not a legal requirement and not the €100billion the EU was first asking for. David Davis is right to stick to his guns on that.
Furthermore if there are joint research and education projects we want to be part of, such as Erasmus, Horizon 2020 or Euratom, we have already indicated that we will be happy to make a fair contribution towards the future continuation of those.
These are international clubs worth paying the membership fee for and add to our general wealth creation.
To be honest, much of this is common sense and could be – and probably will be – resolved quickly enough, but there has to be some high political drama to satisfy the electoral concerns of both sides. German voters don’t want to see Barnier waving goodbye to British money too easily.
For the EU members’ sake there has got to be a bit of a fight. But why does so much of our media have to be cheering on Brussels?
The real problem is that too much negative reporting on our negotiating position from the liberal media could have a detrimental influence on business confidence by exacerbating fears about our ability to strike a free trade deal.
MAKE no mistake, this is not some abstract issue of interest only to economists, it would mean real people choosing to invest less money in our economy.
If investment falters, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has proved already that he is only too keen to keep interest rates at a historic low. But as well as encouraging spending this in turn keeps sterling down and leads to higher inflation. Such are the dangers that could undermine a successful Brexit.
The enemy is not Michel Barnier – who is doing exactly the job required of him – but the Remoaners in our country seeking to undermine the democratic will of the nation to satisfy their own elitist beliefs.
‘EU has to be seen to have put up a fight’