‘We will NOT rollover on Brexit!’ Tory Peer blasts EU for underestimating Theresa May
BREXITEER Lord Maude hit out at Brussels claiming EU negotiators are underestimating Theresa May's strong position thanks to hard-line Brexiteers who continue to put pressure on the Prime Minister.
Francis Maude claims May won't be 'rolled over' by the EU
Speaking to CNBC, the Conservative Peer argued Prime Minister Theresa May's position in the Brexit negotiations might have been weakened by the last general election.
However, the Brexiteer claimed pressure put on the Prime Minister by the hard-Brexiteers in the party has strengthened her approach against Brussels' threats in the negotiations.
Lord Maude warned EU leaders to avoid assuming the PM could be "rolled over".
He said:
“I think Theresa May’s hand was weakened from the outside by that catastrophically bad election result.
“In fact, I was in this very studio at 10 o’ clock on polling day last year when the exit poll came out and I was shocked by how badly the Conservatives performed.
“And I think her hand was massively weakened from that moment and her position.
“But you can argue this both ways, her position is now dependent on the support of the Conservative party and so arguably the hand of the hard-line Brexiteers has been strengthened because they can topple her anytime they want to.
“I don’t think they will, I don’t think that’s in anyone's interest, but I think that the EU negotiators should not assume that she can be rolled over.
“She’s incredibly stubborn and she wants to keep her position and she knows that having been pushed into yielding too much would endanger her position.”
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I think that the EU negotiators should not assume that she can be rolled over
Brussels, on the other hand, has suffered some cracks in its unity following the EU Commission's cuts proposals to make up for the budget annual gab left by the UK.
Brexit will leave an estimated £10.5billion (€12bn) annual gap in the EU’s coffers, but some estimates put the figure as high as £13.2bn (€15bn).
Brussels is searching for ways to make up the shortfall without hefty cuts to spending.
The latest long-term budget, or Multiannual Financial Framework, will run from 2021 until 2027.
Instead of reducing funding in light of the UK’s departure, European Union finance bosses hope to boost the size of the budget to £1.1trillion (€1.25tn).
Under the European Commission’s current proposals, member states would be expected to make up the difference by paying more.
But a strongly-worded statement released by the Dutch PM criticised EU plans to raise spending and blasted Brussels for placing too much burden on Holland.
He said: “As far as the Netherlands is concerned, this proposal is not an acceptable outcome.
“The Netherlands sees the Commission’s proposal as leaving the Netherlands paying too high a share of the bill. This also affects other countries.
“A smaller EU as a result of Brexit should also mean a smaller budget.
“That entails making clearer choices and spending less.”