Former Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe expects the UK to sign a “massively fudged deal” with the EU in the coming days.
Sunday is the new deadline for post-Brexit trade talks after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels yesterday.
Ms von der Leyen described the meeting as “lively and interesting” but warned that while both leaders “gained a clear understanding of each other’s positions,” they remain “far apart.”
Mr Johnson’s spokesperson said “major differences” remain between the two sides.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Ann Widdecombe said the most likely outcome now is a “massively fudged deal.”
“A very bad deal,” she said. “I think that is the likely outcome because, one has to face this, Boris hasn’t shown much resolution.
“He said initially that if we didn’t have a deal by the end of June we would run away from the talks.
“Because he doesn’t have that resolution, I don’t see him walking away. Therefore, given the EU are demanding several things – and have been throughout, there is nothing new about it – in terms of fishing, in terms of the level playing field, in terms of the European Court of Justice, things that we would not find acceptable and that Boris has always said he finds unacceptable, I don’t believe he has the resolution to stick to it and therefore, I think he will fudge on those issues.”
Fishing
She said the issue of fishing is “very symbolic” even if it amounts to a tiny part of GDP for both sides.
“What you have to ask yourself is, why did we leave?” she said. “We left because we didn’t want to be controlled by the EU and its rules anymore.
“Fishing is very, very symbolic because of course, if we have left and if we really are a sovereign state, then naturally, we should control our own waters – every other sovereign state does.
“We should say what access other countries can have. We have never said the EU can’t have access, we wouldn’t say, that but we should decide.”
Economic Armageddon
She said she absolutely rejects claims that failure to reach a deal would be a disaster for the UK economy.
“I am sick and tired of all these predictions,” she said.
“We heard it during the referendum; we were told that if we even voted to leave, if we even took that first step, it was going to result in economic Armageddon.
“We had a scenario painted out for us, in terms of the rise in unemployment and all the rest of it and none of it happened.
“My belief is, if we leave without a deal, it will actually be the best possible option because they will then have to acknowledge that we are a sovereign state and they will reopen negotiations.”
Brexit talks
Mr Johnson and Ms von der Leyen spoke over a three-hour dinner last night and agreed that negotiators Michel Barnier and David Frost would continue talks over the coming days.
They agreed that a firm decision would be made on the future of the talks by next Sunday.
You can listen back to Ms Widdecombe here:
