German chancellor Angela Merkel once again acts like she is in charge of Brexit negotiations. Her majesty needs another quick reminder about who is in charge, and what’s at stake.
Bloomberg reports Germany Warns U.K. That Brexit Talks Will Be Very Difficult.
German Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Roth warned that the U.K.’s negotiations to leave the European Union “will be very difficult” and that Britain won’t be allowed to “cherry pick” the best that the bloc has to offer.
“If the British want full market access but want to limit the access of workers from Germany, France or Poland, they will find there is no a la carte cooperation in this direction,” Roth, the government minister responsible for European affairs, said at a Berlin event Saturday. “We’ve told the British they can’t expect to pick the best aspects of the EU and leave matters at that.”
“People will accept Europe only if it holds out the promise of prosperity,” Merkel told reporters on Friday in Warsaw. “Britain’s exit isn’t just some event, but rather a deep watershed in the history of European Union integration.”
Brexit Watershed
Brexit was indeed a “watershed moment”, and her highness better look straight into the mirror to find see the single person most responsible.
Merkel’s inane refugee policy without a doubt was the final catalyst that drove the Brexit vote.
UK Should Up the Ante
Merkel’s statement is such an obvious bluff, it’s hard know whether the appropriate response is to go “all in” or simply to up the ante by lowering tax rates again.
Another appropriate response would be for UK prime minister Theresa May to point a finger at Merkel and make a statement to the effect “who is this clown?”
Alternatively, May could say something like, “I see Merkel does not care about German exports to the UK”.
Either statement would set the appropriate tone for Brexit discussion while simultaneously putting Merkel in her place.
Merkel has caved in to Turkey time and time again. She will cave into Theresa May as well. All May has to do is apply the appropriate pressure.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
