Davis: UK will refuse to hand Brussels £50 billion exit fee
Mr Davis said the UK would meet its obligations – but he did not expect to see “that sort of money change hands”.
The UK will refuse to hand Brussels £50 billion to pay for its divorce from the European Union, David Davis has insisted.
When Theresa May triggers Article 50 on Wednesday, starting the two-year countdown to Brexit, the demands for cash will form one of the first stumbling blocks in the negotiations.
Mr Davis said the UK would meet its obligations – but he did not expect to see “that sort of money change hands”.
When talks begin after Mrs May sends her Article 50 letter to European Council president Donald Tusk this week, EU chiefs are expected to seek an early agreement on an exit fee – meant to cover the UK’s outstanding liabilities such as pensions and projects it has already pledged cash to.
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has confirmed he expects the UK’s “divorce bill” for Brexit will be around £50 billion.
But on a BBC Question Time Brexit special, Mr Davis said: “The Prime Minister said we are coming to the end of the time when we are paying enormous sums to the EU.
“We will, of course, meet our international obligations but we expect also our rights to be respected too.
“I don’t think we are going to be seeing that sort of money change hands.”
Mr Davis also insisted:
He is right to set “ambitious” aims for the negotiation strategy
