Michel Barnier’s press conference responding to the UK government’s Brexit white paper will have been music to the ears of ‘no deal’ Brexiteers. After Theresa May pushed her Cabinet and premiership to the point of near collapse with her Chequers proposals for a softer Brexit, the EU’s Chief negotiator has today responded to her efforts with a heavy dose of scepticism.
Barnier began by trying to play nice. He said he welcomed the development of the UK government’s position – he understood that it was the result of a debate and, for some, that debate is still ongoing. He said that the proposals from May contained several things Brussels could get on board with and singled out security as one such.
However, he then went into detail over the ‘questions’ the white paper had raised on customs. Barnier questioned whether May’s proposal that the UK would be in the single market for goods – but not services – was consistent with the integrity of the EU’s single market (spoiler: it isn’t).
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