Brexiteer LAMBASTS Barnier for 'unreasonable' demands as Brexit heads to a STANDOFF
BREXIT negotiations will reach a "breaking point" if Brussels continues to pursue "unreasonable" money demands, Labour Leave founder John Mills warns.
Labour donor: Paying MORE to EU will put UK at breaking point
Brexit Britain will, however, have to meet the commitments it agreed to as a member of the European Union.
Mr Mills said additional payments to Brussels would only add to the heavy burden the UK already carries with its yearly payments to the EU.
He said: "I do think it’s reasonable to pay some contribution towards the European Union because we have commitments going up to at least 2020, but to talk about paying, on top of that, anything – 30, 40, 50 even £100bn has been suggested at one stage – is an enormously heavy burden to put on the United Kingdom.
"Bear in mind we already have a very large balance of payments deficit with the European Union, a huge income deficit and we are paying in the contribution every year towards their budget – totalling up to something in the excess of £100bn."
It comes as the UK was issued an ultimatum from EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, urging Britain to settle the outstanding divorce bill within two weeks.
But Mr Mills said such demands could lead to a potential standoff between the two parties.
Speaking to Sky News, the Labour donor said: "To have to pay a huge sum on top of that I think is really getting to a breaking point.
Ex UK bureaucrat: Government 'flying without cover' on Brexit
To have to pay a huge sum on top of that I think is really getting to a breaking point
"And, I’m not at all sure how this is going to resolve itself especially in as short a time as two weeks especially when we still don’t know what sort of deal is on offer."
Mr Barnier told Brexit Secretary David Davis that negotiations would not move forward to trade – a key matter for both sides – unless the UK made "sensible progress" on its stance on the Brexit divorce bill, citizens' rights and the Irish border.
Mr Davis hit back, saying it was now time for Brussels to show "flexibility, creativity and imagination" to strike a mutually beneficial agreement.
The British Government further struck back at the EU's "intimidation" as Prime Minister Theresa May rallied MPs from "all sides" to "come together and negotiate the best possible Brexit deal".
"Let me be clear Brexit is happening on Friday, March 29 2019, at 11pm," she said.