'The ploy that goes WRONG!' UK Brexit team MOCKED in BBC comedy skit
BREXIT Secretary David Davis and his team were mercilessly teased about their "ploys" to push the European Union into agreeing to a divorce deal with Britain.
BBC comedian Hugh Dennis mocked the Brexit Secretary despite Mr Davis' team reaching a Brexit divorce deal with Brussels.
Mr Dennis said: "The basic problem seems to be that our general view of the EU – that is full of dry, boring bureaucrats who are obsessed with detail – is quite correct.
"And that makes them very hard to negotiate with. What keeps happening is Britain tries a negotiating ploy then has to back down."
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Mr Dennis and BBC The Now Show co-host Steve Punt repeatedly derided the Brexit Secretary – focusing on his recent admission that the Brexit Department had not conducted any Brexit impact reports on the effects leaving the EU would have on British industries.
Mr Punt said: "We assumed that the phrase ‘they’re making it up as they go along’ was an amusing exaggeration, but no.
"In David Davis’ case, it turns out they are literally making things up as they go along. In this case, 57 economic impact reports which he said earlier in the year existed in excruciating detail.
"And just a month ago claimed needed to be redacted before being released and now says don’t exist at all."
But despite the comedians' jokes, Mr Davis claimed the last laugh as he and Theresa May secured a last-minute agreement with Brussels which will allow Brexit negotiations to progress to trade talks.
The deal was preempted by signs of a breakthrough from Brussels – with Mr Juncker's right-hand man Martin Selmayr posting a picture of white smoke on Twitter an apparent reference to the manner in which the Vatican signals the choosing of a new pope.
EU officials said member states have not ruled out giving their consent for the UK to actively seek free trade agreements across the globe even while still in the single market and customs union.
The remarks will be seen as a significant olive branch to Downing Street, which has always maintained Britain must be able to plan for its future whilst decoupling itself from the bloc.
Diplomats also said member states are now likely to get more closely involved in talks during the second phase of negotiations on trade, having taken a hands-off approach to the technical divorce issues.
