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| 'Diehard European' to lead Brexit talks for European parliament | 'Diehard European' to lead Brexit talks for European parliament |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Diehard Belgian prime minister has been appointed lead Brexit negotiator for the European parliament, as the other 27 EU member states gear up for the complex negotiations ahead. | |
| Any deal on Britain’s new relationship with the rest of the EU after Brexit will have to be ratified by the European parliament, and Guy Verhofstadt will represent the views of MEPs from across the EU. He said he was “honoured” to take on the role. | Any deal on Britain’s new relationship with the rest of the EU after Brexit will have to be ratified by the European parliament, and Guy Verhofstadt will represent the views of MEPs from across the EU. He said he was “honoured” to take on the role. |
| Honour to be appointed as lead #Brexit negotiator for @Europarl_EN, which will play central role Art 50 deal + any future EU-UK agreements. | Honour to be appointed as lead #Brexit negotiator for @Europarl_EN, which will play central role Art 50 deal + any future EU-UK agreements. |
| After the referendum result in July, he insisted Britain should not be allowed to restrict immigration – a central demand, according to Theresa May – and retain access to the other aspects of the single market. | After the referendum result in July, he insisted Britain should not be allowed to restrict immigration – a central demand, according to Theresa May – and retain access to the other aspects of the single market. |
| “The European parliament will never agree to a deal that de facto ends the free movement of people for a decade, while giving away an extra rebate in exchange for all the advantages of the internal market. What would stop other countries from asking the same exceptional status?” he said. | “The European parliament will never agree to a deal that de facto ends the free movement of people for a decade, while giving away an extra rebate in exchange for all the advantages of the internal market. What would stop other countries from asking the same exceptional status?” he said. |
| Instead, Verhofstadt said some form of associate status for Britain would be a better approach, “with less obligations but equally less rights”. | Instead, Verhofstadt said some form of associate status for Britain would be a better approach, “with less obligations but equally less rights”. |
| Vincenzo Scarpetta, of the thinktank Open Europe, wrote in a blogpost about the appointment that Verhofstadt’s role would be less critical than that of Michel Barnier, the French former EU commissioner who will negotiate on behalf of the more powerful commission. | Vincenzo Scarpetta, of the thinktank Open Europe, wrote in a blogpost about the appointment that Verhofstadt’s role would be less critical than that of Michel Barnier, the French former EU commissioner who will negotiate on behalf of the more powerful commission. |
| He added: “On a personal level Verhofstadt could be a pretty tough nut to crack. A diehard European federalist, he generally comes across as less pragmatic than Barnier. I would expect Verhofstadt to be particularly intransigent when it comes to splitting the EU’s so-called ‘four freedoms’ – that is the free movement of goods, services, capital and people.” | He added: “On a personal level Verhofstadt could be a pretty tough nut to crack. A diehard European federalist, he generally comes across as less pragmatic than Barnier. I would expect Verhofstadt to be particularly intransigent when it comes to splitting the EU’s so-called ‘four freedoms’ – that is the free movement of goods, services, capital and people.” |
| Verhofstadt’s appointment was applauded by the Scottish National party. He has backed the SNP’s case for an independent Scotland to be quickly admitted to the EU. | |
| In a tweet after it became clear on 24 June that Scotland had voted heavily to remain in the EU, he said: “It’s wrong that Scotland might be taken out of EU, when it voted to stay. Happy to discuss with Nicola Sturgeon.” | |
| Before meeting Scotland’s first minister, in late June, he added: “If Scotland decides to leave the UK, to be an independent state, and they decide to be part of the European Union I think there is no big obstacle to do that.” | |
| It is unclear if a Scottish claim for entry as an independent state will affect the UK’s Brexit negotiations, or the European parliament’s response, but Alyn Smith, the SNP MEP, said he was delighted with the former Belgium premier’s appointment. | |
| “Guy’s appointment is good news – we can do business. He is a long-standing respected MEP. [He] has also proven he is alive to the Scottish question and I have every confidence all the doors we need are open,” Smith said. | |
| Verhofstadt’s appointment was announced after the president of the European council, Donald Tusk, used a breakfast meeting in Downing Street to urge the prime minister to press ahead with formal negotiations as soon as possible. | Verhofstadt’s appointment was announced after the president of the European council, Donald Tusk, used a breakfast meeting in Downing Street to urge the prime minister to press ahead with formal negotiations as soon as possible. |
| Speaking before the pair shared what a spokeswoman said was a friendly breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, Tusk said: “The ball is now in your court.” | Speaking before the pair shared what a spokeswoman said was a friendly breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, Tusk said: “The ball is now in your court.” |
| The spokeswoman said the pair had discussed working together on a smooth process for Britain to leave the EU but reiterated that May would not invoke article 50, which begins the formal negotiations, before the end of the year. | The spokeswoman said the pair had discussed working together on a smooth process for Britain to leave the EU but reiterated that May would not invoke article 50, which begins the formal negotiations, before the end of the year. |
| May also raised the issue of recent attacks on Polish people in the UK with Tusk – a former prime minister of Poland – the spokeswoman said. She sought to reassure him that Britain was a “tolerant country” and would remain so outside the EU. She detailed the actions the government is taking to crack down on hate crime. | May also raised the issue of recent attacks on Polish people in the UK with Tusk – a former prime minister of Poland – the spokeswoman said. She sought to reassure him that Britain was a “tolerant country” and would remain so outside the EU. She detailed the actions the government is taking to crack down on hate crime. |
| With the uncertainty over the EU’s future likely to dampen economic confidence, the government could face increasing pressure from the rest of the EU. Other EU leaders will meet in Bratislava next week – without Britain – to consider the way forward. | With the uncertainty over the EU’s future likely to dampen economic confidence, the government could face increasing pressure from the rest of the EU. Other EU leaders will meet in Bratislava next week – without Britain – to consider the way forward. |
| But Tusk made clear there could be little progress until article 50 had been triggered. “It doesn’t mean that we are going to discuss our future relations with the UK in Bratislava, because for this – and especially for the start of the negotiations – we need the formal notification, I mean triggering article 50,” he said. | But Tusk made clear there could be little progress until article 50 had been triggered. “It doesn’t mean that we are going to discuss our future relations with the UK in Bratislava, because for this – and especially for the start of the negotiations – we need the formal notification, I mean triggering article 50,” he said. |
| “This is the position shared by all 27 member states. To put it simply, the ball is now in your court. I’m aware that it is not easy but I still hope you will be ready to start the process as soon as possible. I have no doubt that at the end of the day our common strategic goal is to establish the closest possible relations.” | “This is the position shared by all 27 member states. To put it simply, the ball is now in your court. I’m aware that it is not easy but I still hope you will be ready to start the process as soon as possible. I have no doubt that at the end of the day our common strategic goal is to establish the closest possible relations.” |
| With the summer recess in Westminster now over, the government is gearing up for the challenge of taking Britain out of the EU. However, May gave little away about her intentions, insisting in the House of Commons on Wednesday that her government would not give a “running commentary” on the issue. | With the summer recess in Westminster now over, the government is gearing up for the challenge of taking Britain out of the EU. However, May gave little away about her intentions, insisting in the House of Commons on Wednesday that her government would not give a “running commentary” on the issue. |
| She has made clear that controls on immigration would have to be a key element of any deal, but she doesn’t favour the points-based system advocated by many pro-Brexit campaigners in the run-up to the referendum. | She has made clear that controls on immigration would have to be a key element of any deal, but she doesn’t favour the points-based system advocated by many pro-Brexit campaigners in the run-up to the referendum. |
| It is also unclear whether May believes Britain can remain a member of the single market after leaving. The Brexit secretary, David Davis, who was asked if Britain could remain inside the single market, said earlier this week: “The simple truth is that if a requirement of membership is giving up control of our borders, I think that makes it very improbable.” | It is also unclear whether May believes Britain can remain a member of the single market after leaving. The Brexit secretary, David Davis, who was asked if Britain could remain inside the single market, said earlier this week: “The simple truth is that if a requirement of membership is giving up control of our borders, I think that makes it very improbable.” |
| But the prime minister’s spokeswoman subsequently indicated that Davis was “setting out his opinion” rather than making a statement of government policy – underlining the tensions that could emerge between the pro-remain prime minister and the pro-Brexit team she has put in charge of negotiating Britain’s departure. | But the prime minister’s spokeswoman subsequently indicated that Davis was “setting out his opinion” rather than making a statement of government policy – underlining the tensions that could emerge between the pro-remain prime minister and the pro-Brexit team she has put in charge of negotiating Britain’s departure. |
| May has also insisted that she does not see the need for a parliamentary vote to ratify a decision to trigger article 50. | May has also insisted that she does not see the need for a parliamentary vote to ratify a decision to trigger article 50. |