Eight out of nine British businesses believe the government needs to do more to explain the benefits of free trade to the public
It has been reported that the UK Government has advised the European Union (EU) negotiators that it is prepared to pay a Brexit divorce bill of €60bn and in response the EU negotiators have started drawing up the outlines of a future trade deal with Britain.
The European Union advised the UK Government they only needed to see a “single sentence” in writing to indicate Britain’s acceptance of budget commitments known as reste à liquider (RAL) and the UK’s share of the cost of MEP pensions and aid budgets.
Brussels negotiators have since reported that the UK Government have used officials to signal the necessary financial concessions.
A senior EU negotiator has said that if they [the UK government] are smart, they will use this to claim victory and say trade talks have finally started, adding that “internal preparatory work” on the trade deal was already under way and would accelerate ahead of the December summit.
May has already offered to pay €20bn during a two-year transition period. The EU, however, estimates the UK owes €32bn more in RAL and a further €10bn for other liabilities. This would bring the total to some €62bn. The final sum will not be thrashed out until the end of the talks.
A senior UK government source said the Brexit bill would be a small price to pay for a better trade deal. The value of getting a smoother process of transition and a smoother process of trade in the end game is worth quite a lot. These are sums that make any lubrication of the process look like small change.
It remains to be seen what the trade deal will cover but at a cost of €60bn and probably tying us into the European Union regulations and courts for years it is certainly not what the British people voted for.
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This reputed figure is way too high. The only Brexit Bill that would be acceptable would be a small figure of about £10 billion to pay for our commitments to the next EU budget which we were signed-up to before we decided to leave. ANYTHING over that is simply NOT and I doubt very much we will get a decent trade deal from the EU. They have an interest in preserving this political and economic union so they can’t afford to give us a good trade one deal in case this strengthens anti-EU parties and movements in the other countries.
Free movement MUST end and also we MUST leave the EU Court of Justice. We need to dump the customs union as well but that particular part of our membership can be subject to a SHORT delay in getting out of.
This story had better not be TRUE ! This REMEMBERANCE SUNDAY , when we reflect upon the awful slaughter of the First World War , amongst other things. In fact BRITAIN HAS SAVED THOSE UNGRATEFUL FRENCH AND BELGIUMS FROM THE GERMANS TWICE. If this above story is true , then how much do they OWE US FOR ALL OUR DEAD PEOPLE ?
Think of all the money they have already from us had down the years.The UK was their biggest contributor…this is the real reason they are so devastated we are leaving! The EU are a disgrace to democracy.
Exactly. All their crocodile tears about our supposed leaving are just that (I have grave doubts it will ever happen myself!) We were Europe’s most convenient Automated Teller Machine (ATM) – a mere cashpoint! When did Germany or France ever let us play a leading role in it as one of the ‘big three’ in the club as that was our status!