Brussels should not ‘humiliate’ Britain in the Brexit talks or the whole EU could collapse, key Macron ally warns Michel Barnier
French President’s spokesman said a hard-line approach would strengthen anti-EU sentiment across the continent in rebuke to chief negotiator
FRANCE has warned other EU nations punishing Britain will only fuel further exits from the bloc.
Emmanuel Macron’s right-hand man said Brussels should “never humiliate” a quitting member state.
Benjamin Griveaux predicted handing out a beating to the UK would spark a surge of support for eurosceptic parties in upcoming elections.
The En Marche! MP, who is his party’s spokesman and a close ally of president, made the remarks to the Anglo-American Press Association of Paris.
He said: “Our position is quite simple. There is no question of punishing anyone with regard to Brexit.
“That’d the worst thing that could happen and I think it would reinforce the anti-European sentiment in many countries where we have elections coming up in a year.”
But he also insisted eurocrats would “have to be firm” in ensuring Theresa May does not succeed in splitting the club’s unity during trade talks.
Mr Griveaux said: “Any cherrypicking whereby ‘we will exercise this freedom but not another’ is out of the question.”
“There cannot be bilateral deals with different countries. The strength of the 27 is to have a single representative, Michel Barnier, who is negotiating for the 27.”
His remarks came after it was reported that up to 12 Member States are mulling a rebellion against the hard line pushed by Paris and Berlin.
Charles Grant, the director of the Centre for European Reform, said many EU countries were unhappy with the pair and the Commission “on the narrow scope of the deal that they appear to want to offer UK”.