'The EU is holding up Brexit!' Top law professor BLAMES EU for causing Brexit DEADLOCK
PROFESSOR David Collins criticised the European Union for “holding up” Brexit talks and demanded that Britain must set a date on Brexit in order to avoid getting no deal.
Mr Collins, a professor of International Economic Law, said the way in which the EU had scheduled the different stages of negotiations had caused the “deadlock” in Brexit talks.
Speaking to RT UK, Mr Collins said: “I don’t know why the divorce payment, as it were, couldn’t have been discussed at the same time as trade.
“This was the whole idea from the beginning that the talks should have been happening in tandem. And for some reason, the EU said no.
“This is a conversation that really should have been had a year ago. Why is it being left until now?
, Mr Collins said: “I don’t know why the divorce payment, as it were, couldn’t have been discussed at the same time as trade.
“This was the whole idea from the beginning that the talks should have been happening in tandem. And for some reason the EU said no.
“This is a conversation that really should have been had a year ago. Why is it being left until now?
Getty•RT UK
“And, quite realistically it might not happen in two weeks, it might not happen until March or April or later.
“So, this is really not good and I can’t help but think that it probably is the EU that’s the hold up here.”
Mr Collins also said that not setting a date on Brexit would make it less likely that Britain will achieve a deal.
He said: “What we need is a deadline to get people focussed and make people realise that this needs to be done quickly and if it doesn’t happen by March 29, 2019, then we have no deal.
“And that’s something that we have to accept. And I think the pressure for that on both sides might be exactly the thing that will turn people’s minds to that.”
Senior cabinet ministers agreed on Monday night for the Government to increase its Brexit financial settlement, alleged to be double Theresa May’s original offer of €20bn.
The European Union refused to progress on to trade talks last month because Britain had not come forward with a Brexit divorce bill, the financial settlement and the Irish border.
European Council president Donald Tusk set a deadline for the key Brexit issues to be resolved. Speaking after an EU meeting in Sweden on Friday, Mr Tusk said: “I made clear to Theresa May that this progress needs to happen at the beginning of December at the latest."
