Step aside Juncker! Germany ALREADY working on ‘comprehensive’ Brexit deal with Britain

Policy papers from Chancellor Angela Merkel's foreign
ministry in Berlin called for a “balanced, ambitious and
far-reaching" trade agreement to cover the UK's future
relationship with Brussels.
The leak suggested that pressure for a deal is building
from the most powerful country in the EU despite the
apparent deadlock in the Brexit negotiations over the
size of multi-billion Britain's divorce payment.
Whitehall insiders described the signal of support for a
"comprehensive free-trade accord" in Germany was a
"positive development" ahead of a crunch EU summit
today.
Mrs May heads to Brussels today to appeal to her
fellow European leaders to allow the Brexit
negotiations to advance onto the crucial issue of
future trade between the UK and the EU.
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At a working dinner for the bloc's 28 national leaders,
the Prime Minister will call for trade talks to start "as
soon as possible".
A senior Government official said: "The Prime Minister
will reiterate her commitment to a successful Europe
with the UK as a strong and committed partner.
"She will urge fellow leaders to focus on the shared
opportunities and challenges ahead and encourage
them to move the conversation on to consider the
future partnership and the implementation period so
they are ready to engage in that discussions as soon
as possible."
The leaked document was a four-page draft position
paper setting out the German's government stance in
the Brexit talks.
“We share the UK’s desire to secure a close
partnership with the Union after its exit that covers
economic and trade relations," the document said.
Clashes over the size of the UK's expected divorce
payment continued to tarnish preparations for the
summit yesterday despite the signs of growing
pressure for a deal from Berlin.
Theresa May's hopes of a Brexit deal were boosted
yesterday
Antonio Tajani dismissed the British government's
offer of around £18billion
Tensions increased when European Parliament
president Antonio Tajani dismissed the British
government's offer of around £18billion to cover a
two-year transition period of close ties with Brussels
after the formal Brexit date on March 29 2019 as
"peanuts".
He said: "We need to be realistic, we are realistic but
the UK Government is not. We need our money back."
Mr Tajani risked fuelling the row by comparing the
Brexit talks with Margaret Thatcher's battle to win a
multi-billion annual rebate from Brussels in the 1980s.
"We need to put the money on the table, we need our
money back as Mrs Thatcher said 30 years ago, we
want not one euro more, not one euro less," Mr Tajani
said.
He suggested the divorce bill should be around
£50billion.
"We are united, I don't know where is in the unity in
the United Kingdom we have only one position, only
one negotiator. Please help us to help you," he added.
Former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith yesterday
expressed frustration that the EU's agenda in the
negotiations appeared to be "all about money".
The leak suggested that pressure for a deal is building
from the most powerful country in the EU
In an article on the BrexitCentral website, the senior
Tory MP and leading Brexit campaigner accused EU
chiefs of wanting "as much as they can get out of the
UK in return for engaging on post-Brexit trade
arrangements".
"All that nonsense about sufficient progress is of
course a crude smokescreen to disguise a naked
attempt to force us into a major financial commitment
with nothing in return. That is why the talks have
stalled," Mr Duncan Smith wrote.
He also insisted the Government had to be ready to
walk away from the talks without a deal if the EU
continued attempting to push up the exit fee.
"Yes, we want a free trade agreement, but not at any
price," Mr Duncan Smith added.
In the Commons yesterday, Mrs May repeated her
insistence that the Government was prepared for the
possibility of no deal with the EU.
"I can confirm that what we are doing is working for
the best possible deal for the United Kingdom, but it
would be irresponsible of Government not to prepare
for all possible scenarios, and that is exactly what we
are doing," she told MPs during Prime Minister's
Questions.
Mrs May has repeated her insistence that the
Government was prepared for the possibility of no deal
Last night, Mrs May published an open letter to the
three million EU citizens currently living in the UK
urging them to remain in the country after Brexit.
She also said the Government was close to an
agreement with the EU to preserve their current rights
including access to the NHS and other public services.
"We are in touching distance of agreement," the Prime
Minister wrote.
She added: "EU citizens who have made their lives in
the UK have made a huge contribution to our country.
And we want them and their families to stay. I couldn’t
be clearer: EU citizens living lawfully in the UK today
will be able to stay."
Mrs May also promised that a new process to allow
EU citizens in the UK to formally register for "settled
status" would be simple and cheap.
Brexit: EU summit in pictures
Fri, September 29, 2017
The European Union will be looking beyond the
impending breakup with Britain at how to build a
common future during their two-day summit
meeting
PLAY
German Chancellor Angela Merkel gestures prior to
the 'Tour de table' of the Tallinn Digital Summit
during a European Union summit in Tallinn, Estonia
[AFP/Getty Images]
AFP/GETTY IMAGES 1 of 28
"I know there is real anxiety about how the agreement
will be implemented. People are concerned that the
process will be complicated and bureaucratic, and will
put up hurdles that are difficult to overcome. I want to
provide reassurance here too," the Prime Minister
said.
"We are developing a streamlined digital process for
those applying for settled status in the UK in the
future. This process will be designed with users in
mind, and we will engage with them every step of the
way."
Her open letter was published on Facebook last night
and copies were posted to 100,000 EU nationals who
have signed up to receive updates from the
Government on the citizens' rights issue.
EU chiefs faced embarrassment last night when the
venue for today's summit was switched on the eve of
the arrival of leaders following a health alert at the
bloc's £300million new Europa Building in Brussels.
Toxic fumes from kitchen drains in the building -
known as 'the Egg' for its bizarre architecture - led to
staff being evacuated last week. About 20 catering
workers were reported to have been taken ill in the
incident.
EU officials yesterday announced that the summit will
return to the Justus Lipsius Building next door as a
"precautionary measure".

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