Leaked European Union documents show the bloc moving to acquire widespread and unprecedented powers over the United Kingdom during the so-called transition period which would be used to punish the United Kingdom if it doesn’t act as instructed by its political masters in Brussels.
The five-page draft treaty circulated ahead of EU Brexit boss Michel Barnier’s forthcoming trip to European capitals to whip up support for his negotiating positions would give the European Union “unprecedented powers” which come with no oversight by European courts over the United Kingdom, reports The Times.
The paper reports the purpose of these powers, as detailed in the memo as: “A mechanism allowing the union to suspend certain benefits deriving for the UK from participation in the internal market where it considers that referring the matter to Court of Justice of the EU would not bring in appropriate time the necessary remedies.”
So if Britain moved to pursue its own self-interest in the years immediately after Brexit by seeking to sign trade deals with nations outside of Europe, or if the government sought to make Britain’s tax regime more attractive to foreign business — Europe could hit back at Britain if the nation agrees to allow Europe that power over itself.
These powers would be used to punish Britain after it has officially left the European Union — but while it remains locked into a so-called transition period cooked up by EU negotiators and Britain’s appeasing Prime Minister Theresa May. While this transition period — which will see Britain submitted to European decisions without the ability to challenge them.
If the European Union insists on these powers becoming part of a Brexit agreement it could leave the British government with very little choice — either signing away again its own power to Brussels and becoming what has been described as a “vassal state” to a foreign power, or to unilaterally break away and enjoy a so-called “hard Brexit”.
Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, one of the key voices for Brexit within the House of Commons has roundly rejected the proposals. Speaking to Sky News, he said: “It’s not something we could accept”.
Speaking to The Times, Rees-Mogg said: “Thank heavens we are leaving an organisation that takes such an aggressive stance when you don’t do what you are told.”