World

UK Brexit Minister slams EU ‘no deal’ guidance

January 09, 2018
Britain’s Secretary of Exiting the European Union, David Davis, right speaks to the Attorney General Jeremy Wright following a Cabinet meeting, the first following a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Theresa May, in London, on Tuesday. — AP
Britain’s Secretary of Exiting the European Union, David Davis, right speaks to the Attorney General Jeremy Wright following a Cabinet meeting, the first following a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Theresa May, in London, on Tuesday. — AP

LONDON — Britain’s Brexit Minister David Davis has criticized the EU for preparing for a no-deal scenario once the UK leaves the bloc, according to a letter published on Tuesday by the Financial Times.

Writing to British Prime Minister Theresa May last month, Davis criticized the European Union for adopting measures in the event a deal is not reached before the UK’s exit in March 2019.

He also took aim at EU agencies for issuing guidance to businesses on the post-Brexit landscape, covering everything from company law to transport, without mentioning the possibility of a transition period.

The EU’s approach “is frequently damaging to UK interests”, the Brexit minister wrote, according to extracts published by the Financial Times.

May’s spokesman declined to comment on the report.

Davis told the prime minister he would appeal to the European Commission to change its guidance and warned the EU’s current stance amounted to “potential breaches of the UK’s rights as a member state”.

A legal challenge would however be high-risk and lengthy, Davis said he had been told by advisers.

Brussels rejected Davis’s complaint that Britain was being treated differently to other EU members.

“In the European Commission we are somehow surprised that the UK is surprised that we’re preparing for a scenario announced by the UK government itself,” Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told journalists on Tuesday.

While Britain is pinning its hopes on a two-year transition deal after it leaves the bloc in 2019, leading to a trade deal with the EU, May last year said no deal “is better than a bad deal”.

Referring to May’s speech, Schinas said: “We take these words by the prime minister very seriously so it is only natural that in this house we also prepare for every eventuality.”

The letter was described as “extraordinary” by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

“A government intent on leaving EU and continually talking about prospect of ‘no deal’ moaning about EU preparing to treat UK as a non member and for the possibility of ‘no deal’.

“Unbelievable — or rather, increasingly believable from this inept UK government,” she wrote on Twitter. — AFP


January 09, 2018
59 views
HIGHLIGHTS
World
9 minutes ago

Baltimore bridge collapse: Divers find two bodies in submerged truck

World
16 minutes ago

US urges fair legal process for India opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal

World
23 minutes ago

Gaza starvation could amount to war crime, UN human rights chief says