Police in EU will find it TEN TIMES harder to catch criminals after no-deal Brexit, report reveals

POLICE forces across Europe will be badly hampered if Britain leaves the EU without a deal, a report reveals today.

They will find it TEN TIMES harder to track down criminals unless we agree a new security partnership.

Official figures show how the 27 other member states benefit far more from using the European Arrest Warrant to extradite fleeing suspects.

For every fugitive arrested abroad on a UK-issued warrant, our cops nab ten on behalf of EU colleagues.

British police have held and handed over 12,267 people wanted by other European forces since 2009 – in return for just 1,250 of our suspects caught abroad.

Former Cabinet minister Priti Patel warned the EU has more to lose on many fronts if it fails to reach a proper Brexit settlement.

She declared: “These figures show yet again how the EU needs a deal more than we do.
“The UK has long been the security guarantee for Europe. No deal will hurt EU nations much more than the UK.

“This is why we must not give in to EU bullying but ensure that we take back control of our laws, borders and our money.”

Latest figures show that 1,735 arrests were made in the UK under the European Arrest Warrant in 2016-17.

Yet just 196 were made in EU countries of suspects wanted by British police during the same period.

The EU has made a total of 72,436 requests to the UK under the warrant since 2009. In that time, the UK has made just 2,014.

Brexiteers will drive home the message that there is nothing to fear from “no deal” this week in the face of a massive government scare campaign to boost support for Theresa May’s “soft” Brexit plan.

They point out that the EU also stand to lose a £39billion “divorce” bill – and will end up paying twice as much in export tariffs than the UK.

Later this week, the government will public the first in a series of “technical notices” about what will happen in a no-deal scenario.

Angry Leavers have branded it “Project Fear Mark II” aimed at scaring people into backing the PM’s “soft” Brexit plan.

But ministers insist it is a sensible precaution to limit any risk.

Last night a top barrister tore apart “lurid scare stories” being peddled by the Remain propaganda machine about higher food prices and medicine shortages.

Martin Howe QC, of Lawyers for Britain, branded the claims “ridiculous and unjustified” and insisted prices will go DOWN after Brexit.

He said the authors of Project Fear had assumed that if we leave with no deal, we will be forced to continue slapping tariffs which the EU forces us to impose on the rest of the world.

Mr Howe says this is not true as the UK will be free to charge lower levels of tariffs or zero tariffs if we feel fit.

He added: “It would be an act of lunatic self-harming idiocy for any British government, even one as stupid as the present one, to adopt and apply the EU’s external tariffs to imports from the EU as well as on imports from the rest of the world.”

In his report, Mr Howe points out that European tariffs were set before the UK joined in 1973 and make food prices 17 per cent higher than they would be outside the EU.

He asks: “By what mad process of logic can it be right that joining in 1973 resulted in food prices going up, and leaving in 2019 will result in food prices going up yet again?”

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab will push for progress on a deal when he meets EU negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels on Tuesday.

He said: “We are committed to ensuring continuity and stability for citizens and businesses across the entire UK.

“Securing a deal is still by far the most likely outcome, but we want to make sure that we clearly set out the steps that people, businesses and public services need to take in the unlikely event we don’t reach one.

“It’s the responsible thing to do, to mitigate the risks and make sure the UK is ready to make a success of Brexit.”

• GOT a news story? RING us on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk