Governments and leaders line up to reject Tory negotiation plan
NOT A SINGLE European government has shown support for Tory Brexit plans over 100 days after the vote in England and Wales to leave the European Union (EU).
New comments by French and German leaders coincided with a fresh snub from the Norwegian government over Tory hopes to unilaterally renegotiate Europe’s position on trade and the free movement of people.
The criticism from the largest EU economies follows similar put downs from Malta, Sweden, Ireland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Spain, Slovakia, the EU institutions, and the European Parliament’s negotiator.
Norwegian business news group Dagens Næringsliv reported that Tory trade minister Liam Fox had his attempts to begin trade talks with Norway knocked back.
The rejection follows a similar snub from the United States, which Brexiteers hoped would form part of a global trade deal rush after a Leave vote.
Instead the Tory posture of demanding continuing free, open trade and a block on inward migration to the UK from the European Union has been rejected ahead of negotiations.
Late last week French President François Hollande said: “Today, Britain wants to leave, but does not want to pay anything. That is not possible.”
The statement backed up German leader Angela Merkel’s pledge that “full access to the single market only in exchange for signing up to the four freedoms”, in direct contradiction to the Tory negotiating position.
Swedish Prime Minister
Swedish Prime Minister on Brexit: "You cannot have free movement of goods & services & capital & not people." Are the Tories listening?
— Michael Gray (@GrayInGlasgow) September 8, 2016
Spain threatens hard stance on Brexit
The Spanish Government has gone even further than other countries by making extra demands on the negotiations – including for the UK to pay healthcare bills for its 300,000 migrants and negotiating joint sovereignty over Gibraltar.
Malta Prime Minister, who holds the president of the EU Council
"What does Brexit mean?" The PM of #Malta questions @FaisalIslam during an interview before #UNGA https://t.co/jd0PaXBY0P
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 21, 2016
The Visegrad Four: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia
Slovakia’s prime minister Robert Fico, speaking on behalf of the V4 nations, said they would veto any future trade arrangement between the UK and European Union if it threatened the principle of free movement.
Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny
The government of Ireland is extreme concerned about what impact Brexit will have on its borders, trade, and relationship between the south and north of the island.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said in July that this could lead to a referendum on Irish unity.
Picture courtesy of Garon S
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