Corbyn caves in on Brexit bill: Britain should should PAY UP he insists after EU meeting
BRITAIN must pay its “legally obliged” Brexit divorce bill and stop threatening the European Union, Jeremy Corbyn has claimed.
Mr Corbyn said the UK had to pay into the EU budget until 2020 as agreed
The Labour leader visited Brussels today for an “informative” meeting with the European Union chief Brexit negotiation Michael Barnier.
After exchanging gifts — Mr Corbyn awkwardly gave Mr Barnier an Arsenal football club shirt — the Labour leader said the pair discussed the “process” and “situation” of Brexit, and left the two-hour meeting “very well informed”.
But the visit has prompted a fierce backlash online, with outraged Brexit voters questioning whether the Islington north MP was trying to derail the divorce process.
Michel Barnier WARMLY welcomes Jeremy Corbyn to Brussels
Jeremy Corbyn and Michael Barnier met in Brussels today
And they are likely to be further infuriated over Mr Corbyn’s comments on the Brexit divorce bill this evening.
He said that although he had not discussed a figure for the so-called Brexit bill during their meeting, Mr Corbyn said he recognised the UK’s role in funding EU infrastructure and development programs across Europe.
Mr Corbyn said: “We are clear that we will pay whatever we are legally obliged to pay and those EU funded programs in the UK that go beyond 2019 must also continue.”
Mr Barnier also said it was important for Britain to show flexibility over the bill to build trust in the talks.
He said: “It is essential that the United Kingdom recognise the existence of financial obligations, which are simply the result of the period during which they were members of the European Union.”
The comments come after Mr Corbyn announced earlier today that Labour vowed to fight for a Brexit that would protect jobs and workers.
Sky News host tells Labour activist 'Corbyn is meddling'
Mr Corbyn awkwardly gave Mr Barnier an Arsenal football club shirt
He added his party “wants to work with other countries to build a different Europe, one which promotes human rights and environmental protections, celebrates the positive and complementary contributions of European nations, and where trade is fair and sustainable”.
He said: “These are crucial negotiations for our country.
“We are here to ensure that we protect jobs and living standards and to try to discover exactly what the views of the EU are on the whole process.”