Politics

UK will take hard line against France over Brexit fishing rights, says Liz Truss



A cabinet minister today warned European Union leaders that Britain will take a hard line against France in a dispute over post-Brexit fishing rights.

“We are not going to trade away our fishing in a deal with the EU or any other negotiating partner,” said International Trade Secretary Liz Truss as EU and UK negotiators met for the first round of trade talks in Brussels.

Her words were a response to the French minister for European affairs Amélie de Montchalin, who yesterday said an EU-UK trade deal could collapse unless London gives guarantees that European boats can continue to fish in its waters. 


She said French fishermen had invested in boats in the expectation that decades of fishing would continue and when asked if the EU was willing to let the whole agreement collapse, she said: “Yes. We said that there are four topics which are linked in negotiations.”

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Ms Truss insisted: “We are going to get a deal with the EU that does not involve selling out our fishing.”

But her words did not rule out an eventual deal that would allow fishing fleets on both sides to ply UK waters under licence.

UK negotiator David Frost and 100 British officials were sitting down with EU counterparts led by Michel Barnier for talks so large they could not fit into the European Commission headquarters.

David Frost (REUTERS)

The Government chose the same moment to publish UK proposals for a trade deal with the United States, which has aroused fears that chlorinated chicken and other food products linked with low animal welfare standards would pour into supermarkets. 

But Ms Truss said it would be a “red line” to reject foods that did not confirm to UK standards.

In a blow to President Trump’s demands, she said drugs prices paid by the NHS were also off the table.

Liz Truss (PA)

“I can absolutely guarantee that in a trade deal with the US, we will not diminish our food safety standards and we will also not put the NHS on the table or the price the NHS pays for drugs on the table. Those are two very clear red lines in our trade deal,” she said.

She added; “If we don’t get the deal we want we will be prepared to walk away.”

The EU talks are due to end in December at the latest. They cover everything from aviation to nuclear isotopes to student exchanges.

A second round will be held in London later this month, with further meetings every two to three weeks.

“All in all, it’s already clear that June will be a difficult month. It is hard to see much progress being possible by then so things will start getting tense,” said one EU diplomat involved in Brexit talks.

Boris Johnson’s proposed trade deal with the US would boost London’s economy by £650 million, according to official estimates published today.

Howard Archer, chief economic adviser to EY Item Club, said that “any boost is welcome but this is not a huge amount” in relation to the capital’s £500 billion economy. BT Group welcomed proposals for the agreement to cover the digital economy.



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