Michel Barnier takes apart Theresa May’s Chequers white paper plan
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator has taken apart Theresa May‘s new Chequers Brexit plan, just hours after the embattled Prime Minister insisted there would be no further compromise on her side.
Speaking in Brussels after a meeting with EU national ministers Michel Barnier raised a wide variety of serious concerns with the PM’s proposals on customs control and single market regulations for goods.
Mr Barnier said Ms May’s complicated proposal for customs would likely create huge amounts of new paperwork, warning: Brexit cannot and will not justify additional bureaucracy.
Ms May had hoped the proposal would allow frictionless trade with the EU, but Mr Barnier said the plan to exclude UK services from following EU rules could give a significant competitive advantage to...