No 10 says ‘no’ to Swiss-style deal with EU

DOWNING Street has labelled as “categorically untrue” a report that Rishi Sunak’s Government is considering putting the UK on the road to a Swiss-style relationship with the European Union.

The Sunday Times reported that the move could take place over the next decade, as the Government eyes up a closer relationship with the EU that avoids the current postBrexit barriers to trade.

The alleged change of heart by the Conservative Government, only a few years after Boris Johnson

secured a deal with the EU after years of back-and-forth negotiations, raised eyebrows in Westminster.

Any such move would also likely inflame backbench Tory Brexiteers and rerun many of the debates of the last six years.

However, a Government spokesperson labelled the story “categorically untrue”.

The spokesperson said: “This Government is focused on using our Brexit freedoms to create opportunities that drive growth and strengthen our economy. Brexit means we will never again have to accept a relationship with Europe that would see a return to freedom of movement, unnecessary payments to the European Union or jeopardise the full benefit of trade deals we are now able to strike around the world.”

It is suggested that, behind closed doors, some in Government have indicated the pursuit of a frictionless trading relationship with the bloc means moving to a Swissstyle arrangement