Bombshell Brexit betrayal on cards as Brussels opens door to new UK trade deal | Politics | News
Brussels would keep an “open mind” to a customs union with Britain, a Eurocrat has said. European Commissioner for Finance Valdis Dombrovskis said the EU was “ready to join” if the UK wanted to examine the move.
Mr Dombrovskis made the comment following trade talks yesterday with ministers including Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Asked whether Brussels would welcome talks about Britain rejoining the customs union, Dombrovskis told the BBC: “I cannot jump to conclusions, but I can say that we are ready to act with an open mind and look for these areas of cooperation.”
He added that the EU was “open to discussing different areas regarding the single market”.
It comes after Ms Reeves hosted Mr Dombrovskis and European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, as well as cabinet ministers Peter Kyle and Nick Thomas Symonds, at 11 Downing Street yesterday.
But the meeting led to new accusations from the Conservative Party of betrayal of Brexit.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “Keir Starmer and his Labor Government want to get us into the EU through the back door. His cabinet are currently competing with each other over who can be the most pro-European.”
“The Labor Party is desperately looking for someone or something to blame for the devastating impact of their economic inadequacies and so they are pointing the finger at Brexit and trying to reopen old wounds.
“It is this disastrous Labor Government, not Brexit, that has devastated our economy and weakened us on the international stage. Only the Conservatives are focused on the real challenges facing our country today and making Britain work again.”
The Prime Minister ruled out rejoining the EU’s customs union but said alignment with the single market was “the place to look” in future negotiations.
It comes as the Daily Express launches our ‘Give Us A Proper Brexit’ campaign ahead of the 10th anniversary of the 2016 referendum.
Our new challenge calls on Britain to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), cut red tape for businesses and impose a 12-mile exclusion zone around the UK for British fishing boats only.
