UK would be ‘killed’ in trade negotiations outside EU, says French minister The UK will be “completely killed” in trade negotiations with the world’s major countries if it votes to leave the […]

The UK will be “completely killed” in trade negotiations with the world’s major countries if it votes to leave the EU and would find itself on a par with Jersey and Guernsey, the French economy minister has warned.

“When you discuss your steel industry with China you are credible because you are part of the EU, not because you are just UK. You will be completely killed otherwise” Emmanuel Macron The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

Emmanuel Macron, who has been tipped as a possible successor to Francois Hollande as French President, said it was only Britain’s membership of the EU which made it “credible” to major economies such as China during trade negotiations.

Highlighting Tata’s recent decision to abandon its UK steel operations to illustrate the dangers of a Brexit, Mr Macron suggested that China would not have bothered to negotiate with British ministers if it did not have access to the EU single market.

“Your decision to be taken is much more about your role in globalisation,” he said in an interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. “I think UK is not about becoming Jersey or Guernsey. Today, you are strong because you are part of the EU. When you discuss your steel industry with China you are credible because you are part of the EU, not because you are just UK. You will be completely killed otherwise.

“You will never be in the situation to negotiate face to face with the Chinese because your domestic market is not relevant for the Chinese in comparison with their domestic market. EU is the first global domestic market.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QffmnG-MyXE

His comments were immediately seized upon by George Osborne, who claimed that if the UK voted Leave, it would have to pay into the EU’s budget and accept the free movement of migrants in return for enjoying continued access to the single market.

George Osborne to make EU speech

On Monday the Chancellor will launch a fresh drive to persuade British voters of the benefits of EU membership when his department publishes a major report detailing the economic merits of remaining part of the 28-member bloc.

Billed as a “comprehensive assessment of the costs and benefits of EU membership”, the document due to be published by the Treasury will contain a set of statistics illustrating how Britain fares better inside the EU. Mr Osborne will then follow up this assault with a speech warning of the risk to jobs should the UK vote to leave.

Mr Macron also repeated France’s earlier warning about Calais, suggesting that the current agreement which sees migrants stopped for passport checks at the port before being allowed across the Channel could end if Britain leaves the EU.

“We have to be very clear that a Brexit will have consequences,” he said.

However, his comments about the Calais camps were dismissed as a “giant red herring” by the Conservative cabinet minister Chris Grayling, who said the border agreement between Britain and France was nothing to do with the EU and would continue.