Michel Barnier accused of ‘bullying’ for dissecting Theresa May’s Brexit plan Brexiteers argued the response echoed why it was “essential to leave”

Hardline Tory Eurosceptics accused Brussels of “bullying” the UK on Friday after the European Union’s chief negotiator picked apart Theresa May’s Chequers Brexit plan.

Michel Barnier, who is leading Brexit talks on behalf of the EU, raised a series of concerns over the Prime Minister’s white paper.

In particular, Mr Barnier warned Mrs May’s proposed “facilitated customs arrangement” would open up the risk of major fraud, additional bureaucracy and damage to EU businesses.

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Brexiteers argued that his response showed why it was “essential to leave” the EU.

Read more: This is what will happen if the UK leaves the EU without a deal

The technocrat also questioned whether the proposed customs plan was “workable” in regard to the Northern Irish border problem, adding there remained issues that he and officials within the European Commission still “did not understand”.

Further discussions would be needed over the coming weeks to establish how much “common ground” exists between London and Brussels, he added.

But Mr Barnier’s decision not to accept the Chequers plan outright attracted stinging criticism from leading Brexiteers on the Conservatives’ backbenches.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the increasingly powerful pro-Brexit European Research Group of MPs, told i: “It is a typically, bullying response by Mr Barnier which confirms people’s view that the EU is not a benign organisation and therefore it is essential to leave.”

While Mr Barnier was careful not to reject the Chequers plan out of hand, his questioning of the proposals only emboldened arch-Brexiteers’ demands to leave on a “no deal” basis.

Nigel Evans, Tory MP for Ribble Valley and a senior member of the 1922 Committee, said: “We should say merci et bon voyage to Barnier. Quite frankly their obdurance is excruciating and we gave them every chance. World Trade Organisation [terms] should now be our priority.

“And we should only negotiate implementation period assuming they still want our £39 billion,” he said.

Room for movement

Mr Barnier hinted that the EU would be willing to shift its position on the so-called “backstop” proposals on the Northern Irish border problem.

But he warned he would only base discussions on guidelines issued by the European Council in March – which included the controversial proposal to introduce a border down the Irish sea – and not on Mrs May’s white paper.

In her first major Brexit speech since the wave of ministerial resignations which followed her Chequers deal, the Prime Minister described the white paper proposals as “a significant development of our position … a coherent package”.

A Downing Street source said the Chequers proposals, which were endorsed by the Cabinet, “remained the plan” adding that it was not a “menu from which the EU could pick and choose from”.

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