May clears biggest hurdle as way is cleared for trade talks
Late-night calls settle border and rights row
THERESA MAY has passed her biggest hurdle yet on the road to Brexit as the European Commission finally cleared the way for negotiations on the future relationship after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
Britain will pay a “divorce bill” of up to £39bn under the terms of a withdrawal package agreed with Brussels. The breakthrough announced yesterday was hailed by the Prime Minister as “a hardwon agreement in all our interests”.
Commission President JeanClaude Juncker said it represented “sufficient progress” for negotiations to move on to their second phase, subject to approval by leaders of the remaining 27 EU states next week.
Leeds MP Hilary Benn, chairman of the Exiting the European Union Committee, warned that the “clock is ticking” on trade talks with only 11 months to meet the EU’s next deadline.
In dramatic pre-dawn scenes, Mrs May and Brexit Secretary David Davis flew to Brussels to confirm with Mr Juncker over breakfast the text of a joint document setting out proposals on the key withdrawal issues of citizens’ rights, the Irish border and Britain’s exit bill.
But the scene was set for further wrangling as European Council president Donald Tusk set out guidelines for the next phase of talks covering the transition to a post-Brexit relationship, which envisage the UK staying in the single market and customs union and observing all EU laws for about two years after the official withdrawal date in March 2019.
And a compromise on the Irish border – forged in intensive talks after the Democratic Unionist Party blocked an earlier deal on Monday – states that if no trade deal is reached, the UK as a whole will maintain “full alignment” with elements of the EU single market and customs union which support the economy of the island of Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement.
In a Brussels press conference, Mrs May said the process of arriving at a withdrawal deal “hasn’t been easy for either side”, but the agreement represented a “significant improvement” on the text she was preparing to sign off on Monday. Provisions on citizens’ rights would allow EU nationals in the UK “to go on living their lives as before”.
Meanwhile, the financial settlement would be “fair to the British taxpayer” and the agreement on Ireland would guarantee there would be “no hard border” between Northern Ireland and the Republic. “I very much welcome the prospect of moving ahead to the next phase, to talk about trade and security and to discuss the positive and ambitious future relationship that is in all of our interests,” said Mrs May.
Mr Juncker said Brexit was a “sad” development, but added: “Now we must start looking to the future.”
THERESA MAY’S divided Cabinet yesterday put on a concerted display of unity as they took to the airwaves and social media to celebrate the Prime Minister’s success in Brexit talks.
Michael Gove, David Davis, Amber Rudd and Philip Hammond were among those lining up to praise Mrs May’s skills as a negotiator in an attempt to draw a line under months of headlines about ministerial infighting.
Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, Mr Gove, who has been accused of manoeuvring to replace Mr Hammond as Chancellor, described the breakthrough as “a significant personal political achievement” for Mrs May.
The Brexit-backing Defra Secretary added: “She got a deal in the interests of the whole of the UK.
“More than that, the Prime Minister has also secured a deal that guarantees the rights of UK citizens abroad”.
Ms Rudd, who supported the case for Remain, said the agreement marked “good progress”.
“There’s going to be more to do, but it shows that under Theresa May’s leadership we are able to have successful negotiations and take forward this really important step of negotiating our exit from the European Union,” she said.
Mr Hammond, another strong remain voice in the Cabinet, took to Twitter to express “delight” at the “positive step” toward a new relationship with Brussels.
“Today’s announcement in Brussels is a boost for Britain’s economy. Now let’s conclude a trade deal that supports Britain’s jobs, businesses and prosperity,” he said.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said it was time for Mrs May’s critics “to recognise her extraordinary strength and resilience which... will deliver stage two (of talks) just as it has delivered stage one”.
The Brexit Secretary David Davis said yesterday’s announcement marked a “big step forward” in delivering on last year’s referendum result.
Commenting on the response among the wider party, fellow Brexit Minister Steve Baker, who helped to found the eurosceptic Conservatives for Britain group, said Tory MPs were in a “happy place”.
However, Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer pointed to the “chaos and confusion” that have dogged this week’s negotiations, as he warned that the country could not afford further such delays.
“Despite being two months later than originally planned, it is encouraging that the European Commission has recommended sufficient progress in the Brexit negotiations,” he said.
“As the talks now move on to a discussion about Britain’s future relationship with the European Union, Theresa May must seriously reflect on her approach to the negotiations so far.”
Today’s announcement in Brussels is a boost for Britain’s economy. Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer.