UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, gave a televised speech in which she accused the European Union for not respecting the UK throughout Brexit negotiations.
This comes at a time when the pound dropped due to the widespread fear and speculation about a no-deal Brexit occurrence.
This also comes at round twenty four hours after the Salzburg Summit where her Chequer’s plan was harshly criticised by the EU.
Mrs May blamed the EU’s leaders for allowing the negotiations of their future relationship after Brexit to become “impasse”. This phrase had apparently led to the pound’s 1.5% drop against the US dollar which is the most significant one day drop this year.
“I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it,” said May whilst standing with two union flags behind her.
The Salzburg summit on Thursday featured the twenty seven EU leaders who were frustrated at the prime minister’s controversial Chequers proposals. The EU Council President, Donald Tusk, stated that while her plan possessed some positive aspects, the latter of her proposals “would not work”.
In reference to this, May stated:
“Yesterday Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didn’t explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse.”
Tusk on the other hand, replied back by saying that May was “surprisingly tough” and “uncompromising”. He also went on to deny May’s accusations of the fact that the EU did not properly spell out the problem in detail. Despite this, he said that “a compromise, good for all, is still possible”.
It has been speculated that EU officials are currently working on an alternative to the Chequers plan which is quite likely to be announced in October during the next Brexit summit in Brussels.
Downing Street is convinced that May could potentially win support if she stands up to the EU whilst, many others in her party believe that she should forget the Chequers plan altogether.
EU diplomats have warned that Mrs May’s statements would only make a no-deal Brexit more likely to occur. “She is now playing into a negative dynamic… My best assessment is that rhetoric won’t bring an orderly exit. I think she should have taken that away from the 27 approach,” said one EU diplomat.
Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, criticised both Theresa May and Donald Tusk in a statement which he released on Friday which stated:
“Theresa May’s Brexit negotiating strategy has been a disaster. The Tories have spent more time arguing among themselves than negotiating with the EU.
From day one, the prime minister has looked incapable of delivering a good Brexit deal for Britain. The political games from both the EU and our government need to end because no deal is not an option.”
