'COMPUTER SAYS NO'
Robotic EU leaders are too unimaginative to give Britain a good trade deal, Brexit Secretary claims
Dominic Raab said recent Brexit turmoil is 'a bump in the road' as he called on European leaders to be more flexible
EUROCRATS are blocking a Brexit deal because they have a “computer says no” attitude, Dominic Raab blasted today.
The Brexit Secretary attacked EU leaders for refusing to show enough imagination to strike a win-win deal - as he doubled down on Theresa May’s negotiating strategy.
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Mr Raab dismissed recent turmoil in Brexit talks as “a bump in the road” and insisted the PM won’t abandon her Chequers proposals.
Speaking after the Salzburg summit where European leaders shot down Mrs May’s plans, the Brexit Secretary told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show today: “It’s clear a change was made very late on by the EU in their response.
"This is a bump in the road - we will hold our nerve, we will keep our cool and we will keep negotiating in good faith.
"What we are not going to do is be dictated to. The UK is one of the biggest economies in Europe, if not in the world.
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Furious Prime Minister Theresa May slams EU over lack of respect and issues warning in barnstorming address after Salzburg Brexit summit
"We have come up with a serious set of proposals. We are not just going to flit from plan to plan like some sort of diplomatic butterfly.
"We are going to be resolute about this and really press the EU to treat us with some respect."
Blasting the EU’s inflexible attitude, Mr Raab added: "If we just get this sort of 'computer says no' response from the EU we are not going to make progress.
"We need some flex, some give and take if you like, from the EU and I am confident that, as the fall-out from Salzburg ebbs, we will make further progress."
He also risked a diplomatic row by criticising Emmanuel Macron for accusing Brexit-backing politicians of lying during the 2016 referendum campaign.
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Mr Raab said: “The EU has a habit of spurning democratic votes, whether the referendum in this country or trying to do that in other countries.”
Mrs May’s trip to Salzburg for a summit with other leaders ended in chaos this week when they refused to endorse her proposals for a Brexit trade deal.
But the PM has refused to back down - making a tough statement on Friday where she declared talks were at an “impasse” and insisted she’s sticking with her Chequers plan.
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