- 27 Jul 2016 15:14
#14705886
Good choice for this job!
Without the UK putting on the breaks, the EU will regulate the banking sector and clamp down on tax evasion.
Michel Barnier has been appointed as Brussels' chief negotiator for the UK's exit talks with the EU
@layman, The Telegraph does make the connection between Tony Blair and the French referendum on the EU constitution, which you didn't believe when I told you previously. Brits can be honest when it suits their purpose.
Without the UK putting on the breaks, the EU will regulate the banking sector and clamp down on tax evasion.
Michel Barnier has been appointed as Brussels' chief negotiator for the UK's exit talks with the EU
The European Commission has shown it is prepared to play "hardball" by appointing a former French minister who reportedly holds a grudge against Britain as head of its Brexit negotiations.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commissioner has announced the appointment of Michel Barnier, an arch-federalist, as Brussels' chief negotiator for the UK's exit talks with the EU.
Diplomats have suggested that Mr Barnier still resents Britain after losing his job after the French government lost a referendum on the European Constitution.
France held a referendum on the constitution after Tony Blair, the then Labour prime minister, promised one in Britain. In the event, the referendum in Britain never took place.
Speaking after the referendum vote, Mr Barnier said that he shouldn't be "prisoner to the British question" during Brexit negotiations.
He is also renowned as a defender of French protectionism and is hostile to the “Anglo-Saxon” free market model of capitalism.
Mr Barnier previously infuriated British minsters with his calls for more financial regulation when he held the post of EU commissioner for internal markets and services between 2010 and 2014.
He recently wrote a paper for Mr Juncker which called for an EU army.
Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister, said that Mr Barnier is "no friend of the City of London" and that "alarm bells will be ringing".
A diplomatic source told the Telegraph: "It's a sign the European Commission wants to play hardball. He will be a tough negotiator, he is far from a soul mate for Britain.
"As commissioner he was much more regulatory, much more eurozone-centric than we would have liked.
"There are suggestions that he still blames Britain after losing his job as French foreign minister following their referendum. There's a bit of resentment against the UK there."
In June Mr Barnier told journalists: "The first thing is to recreate a dynamic, taking care that the European agenda is not a prisoner of the British issue. For now, we must, of course, work to maintain market stability.
"As for the release of the UK, will be the subject of technical negotiations, legal, financial that will take several years.
"However, alongside this, the French and German leaders must regain the initiative with other countries and the assistance of the Commission in Brussels."
His official title will be “chief negotiator in charge of leading the Commission Taskforce for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom" and he will take up the position on October 1st.
Mr Barnier was previously Brussels’ commissioner for Internal Market and Services from 2010-14.
Commenting on the appointment, Mr Juncker said: "I wanted an experienced politician for this difficult job. Michel is a skilled negotiator with rich experience in major policy areas relevant to the negotiations.
"He has an extensive network of contacts in the capitals of all EU Member States and in the European Parliament, which I consider a valuable asset for this function.
"Michel will have access to all Commission resources necessary to perform his tasks.
"I am sure that he will live up to this new challenge and help us to develop a new partnership with the United Kingdom after it will have left the European Union."
Mr Barnier said he was “honoured to be entrusted” with the new role.
@layman, The Telegraph does make the connection between Tony Blair and the French referendum on the EU constitution, which you didn't believe when I told you previously. Brits can be honest when it suits their purpose.