Jean-Claude Juncker has said the UK has no prospect of staying in the EU single market as part of any cross-party compromise between the Conservatives and Labour parties unless MPs first pass a Brexit divorce deal
The European Commission president did not expect the UK to cancel the Brexit process but added that he did not see a “single-market-based solution” with the EU unless the House of Commons ratified an EU-UK divorce deal that MPs have already rejected three times.
“As far as I am concerned, the British side bears 100 per cent of the responsibility for this,” Mr Juncker told Germany’s Funke Media Group.
His comments reflect frustration that the House of Commons — through a series of “indicative votes” — failed to throw its weight behind single market membership last month.
His comments come a week after EU leaders decided to extend the UK’s exit negotiations by six months to the end of October, giving Theresa May’s government time to put her divorce deal to the House of Commons again and carry out talks with the Labour party led by Jeremy Corbyn.
Labour has pushed for the UK to stay in the EU’s common customs union and demanded a replication of the benefits of the single market.
Mr Juncker said he did not want British MPs to “waste” the extension months by pushing for changes to the Withdrawal Agreement that had no prospect of being renegotiated in Brussels.
“We cannot keep on putting off the withdrawal date indefinitely. The best solution would be for the British to adopt the Withdrawal Agreement during the extra time that has been agreed. Then things will be settled. There are many who only talk about Brexit, Brexit, Brexit as though there are no other problems. This must one day come to an end,” Mr Juncker said.
“We can certainly talk about the accompanying political declaration on our future relationship, but it must not contradict the Withdrawal Agreement. For me, the ball is in the British court.”
During last week’s Brexit summit, the commission president was one of those convincing French president Emmanuel Macron to grant a longer extension beyond June 30 to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Mr Macron had demanded strict conditions on the UK’s continued presence in the EU, including promises not to disrupt the bloc’s legislative work or the appointment of top jobs.
The October 31 date would mean the UK would have to hold EU elections next month. But if the divorce deal is agreed, Britain would not have to appoint a new European Commissioner to take office in November.
Mrs May has said she would like to avoid elections if any deal is agreed before the May 23 election date. But Mr Juncker added: “Member states have the right to vote in the European elections. We cannot punish the citizens just because the British have not managed to leave by the agreed date.”
