French diplomat Nathalie Loiseau has said her government prefer a no-deal Brexit to UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Chequers proposals, reaffirming Europe’s opposition to the widely unpopular plan.
In an interview with Radio Classique on Thursday, Loiseau said “No deal would be better than a bad deal [for France]”, though she insisted it is not too late to hammer out a “good deal” for everyone.
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“A good deal is still possible, but time is running out,” France’s Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau said.
The minister’s remarks follow the European Union’s branding of May’s plan as “not workable,” poising Britain for a hard Brexit, as the government previously said it would be willing to crash out of the bloc without a deal if Chequers is rejected.
Amid stalling Brexit talks, campaigners have ramped up their efforts to pressure the government into holding a second referendum, insisting the electorate deserve the opportunity to bail out of leaving the union, especially as the UK looks on course to leave without a deal or transition period in place.
Economists have forecast the UK economy to be adversely affected by such an eventuality, driving price inflation and disrupting existing supply chains, potentially leading to shortages.
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