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Jessica Brown
Mar 30, 2017
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BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images
It feels like we're not off to a good start with Brexit.
Theresa May has been accused of using the sharing of intelligence as leverage in Brexit trade negotiations.
She warned EU leaders that failing to reach a good Brexit agreement will weaken the UK’s cooperation regarding crime and security.
May wrote:
If, however, we leave the European Union without an agreement, the default position is that we would have to trade on World Trade Organisation terms. In security terms, a failure to reach agreement would mean our cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened.
Among the criticisms aimed at May, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, lablled the tactic “blackmail,” and warned that security should not be used as a bargaining chip.
So we're not off to a great start for two years of negotiating.
But if May wants to use 'blackmail,' she might want to make sure we have a leg to stand on.
One Guardian journalist wrote:
It is almost inconceivable that any of the UK intelligence agencies – MI5, MI6 or GCHQ – picking up any hint of a terrorist attack being planned on the continent would hesitate to pass it on.
It hasn't exactly filled people with optimism:
Lib Dem leader @timfarron strongly criticises May's "blatant threat" to withdraw security cooperation… https://t.co/H9dkm98X85— Stuart Millar (@Stuart Millar) 1490793684
Linking security cooperation on terrorism to trade deal is not a sign of strength but a sign of how far we've fallen https://t.co/W48JecjL54— David Lammy (@David Lammy) 1490853154
Theresa May's threat to EU over cooperation on joint terrorism security in letter triggering #article50 shows this was not our finest hour.— John Smith (son of Harry Leslie Smith) (@John Smith (son of Harry Leslie Smith)) 1490792396
Why has no MP yet asked May why she hasn't repeated in chamber her A50 letter's threat of withdrawing "security" cooptn if no Brexit deal?— Paul Waugh (@Paul Waugh) 1490792077
No. We're Britain. We don't do this. We don't threaten to ignore terror attacks for free trade. We don't threaten l… https://t.co/VAjkdp99s4— Yvette Cooper (@Yvette Cooper) 1490829938
It took Theresa May nine months to write the Article 50 letter, and it is a childish threat. The Great Repeal Bill might be beyond her— Will Black (@Will Black) 1490867706
Way to go May, use blackmail over security as your opening gambit. Nothing like winding up the other side before the negitiations begin.— Pete Timmins (@Pete Timmins) 1490854721
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