David Davis set to go on the attack against ‘stubborn’ Brussels Brexit negotiators in a bid to create split between them and EU
The Brexit Secretary hopes to force their hand and win major concessions for Britain over trade talks
DAVID Davis is preparing to attack Brussels negotiators for being “stubborn and unreasonable” in a bid to create a split between them and EU.
The Brexit Secretary’s broadside is being drawn up after senior British officials revealed they expect a third round of face to face EU exit talks in the Belgian capital next week to again end in bitter stand-off.
Instead of taking another verbal beating from the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier, Mr Davis has decided to go on the offensive.
The Sun has learned the 68-year-old Cabinet bruiser is even considering publicly snubbing his French foe Mr Barnier by refusing to hold the regular joint press conference with him.
A public showdown in Brussels will raise the stakes further in the intense game of bluff.
A senior Whitehall source told The Sun: “We have been very reasonable and offered up a huge amount of potential solutions to bridge the gaps.
“Barnier has thrown most back in our face, and publicly.
“David thinks the time has come to start pointing this out, so the other 27 EU leaders can see how stubborn and unreasonable the EU Commission is becoming and give them fresh instructions to get on with it.”
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No10 and Mr Davis are growing increasingly angry with Mr Barnier and the commission’s refusal to recognise some exit issues cannot be solved without looking ahead to the future relationship.
On Sunday, the Brexit Secretary again implored Brussels to start looking at the crucial points side by side, especially to solve how to keep the Irish border open.
Earlier this week, Mr Barnier dismissed the avalanche of new UK position papers on a future trade deal to tweet: “Essential to make progress on #citizensrights, settling accounts and #Ireland”.
Another EU diplomat yesterday accused the British government of living in a “fairy tale” with some of its new proposals published this week.
It also emerged yesterday that the EU negotiators will again demand on Monday that the UK spells out of how it plans to calculate the size of the ‘divorce bill’ that Britain has accepted it needs to pay.
They will also insist on more detail on how to guarantee rights for EU citizens in the UK.
But Mr Davis will refuse to engager on Britain’s bill until Mr Barnier spells out why the EU think the figure should be as high as £80bn, and also start trade talks.
EU leaders have asked for “sufficient progress” on the two areas – as well as how to solve the dilemma over the Irish border - before trade talks can begin.
The 27 national heads meet at a summit on October 18, and fears are growing they will delay the start of trade talks until at least December on Mr Barnier’s recommendation.
Experts said the spiralling stand off has reduced the chances of the EU and the UK reaching any deal.
Forecasters Oxford Economics raise the chances of ‘no deal’ from 30% to 40% yesterday.
It said: “The UK has made little attempt to progress separation issues, while its ideas for transition could require yet more negotiation and risk eroding the benefits of transitional arrangements for business”.