The Greens have criticised government ministers for “anti-diplomatic” comments in recent days, after it was reported that a UK government source had suggested the prospect of a deal was "receding".[1]
Molly Scott Cato, Green Party Brexit spokesperson and former MEP, said:
“From Jacob Rees-Mogg holding Brexit responsible for the record speed of a vaccine certification process actually undertaken under EU rules, to the toe-curling embarrassment of Gavin Williamson’s comment about the UK being a ‘much better country’ than others, we have seen the government’s Brexit out-riders out in force in recent days.
“Conservatives have honed this sort of anti-diplomacy to an art-form in recent years but fail to understand that we will always be part of Europe and that our relationship with our close neighbours will continue to be of vital importance after 1 January.
“Greens have always argued for us to keep as close as possible to the EU single market and we continue to champion being at the heart of Europe.”
Commenting on EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova’s statement that the Brexit referendum was skewed by “fake news” [2], Scott Cato said:
“The process of Brexit has been dominated by propaganda and disinformation from the start. So their suggestion that the EU has somehow thrown new and unreasonable demands into the negotiations at this late stage is par for the course.
“But it is also untrue and impossible according to the legal process being followed by the Council, the member states and the EU Parliament.
“What we are seeing is the UK government engaging in damaging theatrics to prepare the public for a truly dreadful deal. Far from being oven-ready, the deal is still incomplete which leaves no time for businesses to prepare for the end of the transition period.”
ENDS
Notes
1
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55182450
2
Commissioner Jourova’s comments are reported here:
https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2020/12/04/eu-says-dirty-methods-used-in-brexit-campaign/