Britain heading for a 'diplomatic BUST-UP' as EU 'does NOT want Brexit to run smoothly'
BRITAIN should prepare for a serious diplomatic bust-up with Brussels during the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, a top professor warned.
Professor: EU won't want smooth Brexit to inspire others
Matthew Goodwin, lecturer of politics at the University of Kent, claimed the European Union would work to ensure the UK’s divorce talks do not run smoothly.
He argued the bloc would try to make the process confrontational to ensure the remaining 27 countries do not follow Britain’s historic vote to leave the EU.
Speaking to RT, Professor Goodwin said: “It is likely we’re going to have some public bust-ups over the next couple of years.
Professor Matthew Goodwin told the UK to prepare for 'bust-ups' with the EU over Brexit
This does have the potential for a pretty serious diplomatic bust-up
“We are going to have some pretty heated debates and divisions because that’s the nature of politics, but also because the EU doesn’t want to see anybody leave smoothly.”
He continued: “That’s the key problem, if we do leave smoothly and we’re seen to be given a good deal, that’s going to emboldened Eurosceptics in other key countries like Marine Le Pen, the Italians, the Austrian Eurosceptics, so this does have the potential for a pretty serious diplomatic bust-up.”
The Kent professor said the EU would seek to ensure the process did not run smoothly
Professor Goodwin said the sticking points during the two-year talks were likely to be over Britain’s divorce bill and the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
Theresa May is expected to make eliminating the European Court’s influence in the UK an election manifesto pledge.
But, the European Council wants the ECJ’s UK role to be upheld after Brexit, particularly when it comes to preserving the rights of EU citizens in the UK.
Such outcome would see nationals from the continent able to turn to the court if they felt the British Government breached their rights in the future.
Theresa May is likely to campaign on ending the jurisdiction of the EU over the UK
Professor Goodwin, however, warned such outcome would prove “incredibly unpopular” among Brits who voted to end the jurisdiction of EU rule over the UK in June’s referendum.
He added: “The key element here is whether both parties are going to be able to reach a compromise in what is a very short period of time of two years.”
Meanwhile, Britain has been told by a top Brussels chief it can reverse its decision to leave the Brussels club.
Antonio Tajani: EU wants a win-win Brexit agreement
Antonio Tajani, who is president of the European Parliament, said Britain’s divorce could be stopped if there was a change in UK Government following the snap General Election.
Speaking to the Guardian, he said: ““If the UK, after the election, wants to withdraw Article 50, then the procedure is very clear.
“If the UK wanted to stay, everybody would be in favour. I would be very happy.”