London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

British chief Brexit negotiator says London not afraid to walk away without deal

British chief Brexit negotiator says London not afraid to walk away without deal

The British government's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost said Sunday that his government is unafraid to walk away from the post-Brexit trade talks with the European Union (EU) if the regional bloc does not compromise on major issues, including fisheries and state aid rules.
"This time, we won't blink," Frost told the Mail newspaper on Sunday.

"We came in after a government and negotiating team that had blinked and had its bluff called at critical moments and the EU had learned not to take our words seriously...So a lot of what we are trying to do this year is to get them to realize that we mean what we say and they should take our position seriously," he said.

"We are not going to be a client state," he said. "We are not going to compromise on the fundamentals of having control over our own laws."

"We are not going to accept level playing field provisions that lock us in to the way the EU do things," he said.

Britain ended its EU membership on Jan. 31 but is still following EU rules during the transition period until Dec. 31 to enable a permanent future trade deal to be reached. During this period, Britain would have to pay into EU funds but have no say in laws imposed by Brussels.

"We want to get back the powers to control our borders and that is the most important thing," he said.

Frost made the remarks as the trade talks are to resume on Tuesday in London with both sides still having differences on issues such as fishing and the level of taxpayer support Britain will be able to provide for businesses, also referred to as state aid rules.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the week ahead was "a wake-up call for the EU", adding that "the EU's best moment to strike a deal is now."

Both sides want a deal agreed next month in order to have it signed off by politicians on both sides of the Channel by the end of the transition period on Dec. 31.

The upcoming talks in London, which will be the eighth round of Brexit talks, are expected to mark the final phase of the negotiations, with Frost's team calling for "more realism" from the EU side to break the deadlock.

"The EU must also realize that we are serious about leaving with an Australian-style trading relationship and reclaiming our independence as a sovereign nation if we cannot find acceptable terms," he said.

The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said Wednesday in Dublin that he was "worried and disappointed" after Frost made no concessions to end the impasse during their informal talks in London a day earlier.

There will be no post-Brexit trade deal without UK-EU agreement on fisheries, Barnier said. He warned Britain against using the issue as a "bargaining chip" in stalled talks.

"We did not see any change in the position of the UK," Barnier said. "This is why I express publicly that I am worried and I am disappointed because, frankly speaking, we have moved."

If Britain and the EU fail to secure a trade deal before the transitional period expires, both sides will trade under the World Trade Organization terms, under which new border controls and tariffs will mean extra cost for their trade. Enditem
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
×