'Assume the consequences!' Barnier hits back at Boris telling UK to RESPECT own red lines
MICHEL BARNIER responded to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's claims and demanded Britain “assume the consequences” of leaving the European Union before later insisting the UK must “respect its own red lines”.
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator took a dig at Britain and claimed there is an element of “nostalgia about belonging to the EU” as he responded to comments made by Boris Johnson during a dinner with campaign group Conservative Way Forward.
The Foreign Secretary said you “might get somewhere” if Trump took part in Brexit negotiations while warning there could be a Brexit “meltdown”.
Michel Barnier responded and demanded Britain must “assume the consequences” of Brexit as he rejected Prime Minister’s backstop proposal.
He told the European Commission press conference on Friday: “One has to assume the consequences. What I can say to when replying to Boris Johnson is that we are drawing up our position taking full account as objectively, scrupulously and honestly as we can.
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It would be perhaps good if Britain could also respect its own red lines
“Taking account of the British red lines. those which Boris Johnson and his colleagues have set out, which have been set out too by the British Government.
“While we respect the British red lines, it would be perhaps good if Britain could also respect its own red lines.
“And just to be quite clear about this, if these red lines were to evolve on the British side we would be open straight away and the European Council itself has said this in its own guidelines.
“We would be prepared to adjust our position to reopen or adjust our offer.”
Mr Barnier claimed Britain want to “remain in just about everything” without “respecting” the regulatory framework.
Mr Barnier rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposed “backstop” customs system for Northern Ireland, which could see Britain remain in a “temporary customs arrangement” after the Brexit transition.
Mr Barnier demanded Britain “respect its own red lines” arguing that the proposed backstop would only be feasible for Northern Ireland and not the whole of the UK.
He warned the Mrs May: "Let me be very clear. Our backstop cannot be extended to the whole of the United Kingdom.
"It has been designed for the specific situation of Northern Ireland. The temporary backstop is not in line with what we want."
The backstop draft sets out a blueprint for a temporary customs partnership if the technology for a “frictionless border” is not prepared in time for the end of the Brexit transition period in December 2020.
Mrs May confirmed that a temporary "backstop" arrangement to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic would be time-limited but this was later rejected by Mr Barnier.
The draft arrangement is set to continue no longer than December 2021 – a year after the transition period, which ends on December 2020.
The document said: “The UK is clear that the temporary customs arrangement, should it be needed, should be time-limited, and that it will be only in place until the future customs arrangement can be introduced.
“The UK is clear that the future customs arrangement needs to deliver on the commitments made in relation to Northern Ireland.
“The UK expects the future arrangement to be in place by the end of December 2021 at the latest. There are a range of options for how a time limit could be delivered, which the UK will propose and discuss with the EU.”