Boris Johnson accused of offering Brits an ‘intellectually impossible’ and ‘politically unavailable’ Brexit vision
Dutch finance minister says UK cannot expect unfettered access to European markets if it rejects free movement
BORIS Johnson has been accused of offering British people a vision of life outside the European Union that is "intellectually impossible” and “politically unavailable”.
Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem warned that the UK could not expect to have continued unfettered access to European markets post-Brexit unless it accepted free movement of labour.
He said both the UK and the EU would be worse off as a result of the historic referendum vote to leave as he accused the Foreign Secretary of presenting arguments about Britain's future prospects which could not work.
Mr Dijsselbloem’s comments came after Mr Johnson suggested the UK still wanted a "dynamic trade relationship" with Brussels - although it would "probably" have to leave the EU customs union.
Downing Street was quick to play down the remarks to Czech newspaper Hospodarske noviny, insisting no decisions had been made.
But Mr Dijsselbloem said the Cabinet minister’s comments did not make sense, telling BBC2's Newsnight: "I think he is offering to the British people options that are really not available.
“To say 'we could be inside the internal market, keep full access to the internal market, but be outside the customs union' - this is just impossible, it doesn't exist.
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"The opposite does exist. We have a customs union with Turkey but Turkey is not part of the internal market.
“So he is saying things that are intellectually impossible, politically unavailable, so I think he is not offering the fair approach that gives the British people a fair view of what is ahead."
Mr Dijsselbloem warned whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, the economies of the UK and the EU would both suffer, adding: "There is no win-win situation. It is going to be a lose-lose situation.
He said in “the best case” the countries could “set aside all emotions” and come up with agreement that “minimises the damages”.
British firms which have full access to the European markets “without any hindrance or customs duties” would lose some of that, he added.
“The full free movement within the internal market can only be available if the UK also accepts the other freedoms of Europe, including migration within Europe,” the minister concluded.
But earlier the German chancellor Angela Merkel appeared to suggest there could be some room for manoeuvre over free movement of labour - which Theresa May has made clear Britain will curb once it is outside the EU.
The EU's key power broker warned making an "exception" for Britain would "endanger" the principles of the EU, however when it came to the finer details of how freedom of movement was applied she indicated that there was scope for discussion.
"I personally am of the view that we will have to discuss further with the (European) Commission when this freedom of movement applies from," she said.
While offering "fair" negotiations to the UK, Mrs Merkel added: "First, however, Britain must explain in what manner it would like this exit."