Davis denies fears of dystopian future 

The UK’s Brexit “bulldog” David Davis will try to calm fears today (Tuesday) of Brexit triggering a “race to the bottom” in production standards.

The minister for Brexit is due to declare that leaving the EU will create a “race to the top in global standards”.

Speaking in Vienna, on his Brexit charm offensive, Davis will say fears are “borrowed from dystopian fiction”.

It is claimed that chlorinated chickens and milk containing antibiotics will be imported under any US trade deal.

Remainers “fear that Brexit could lead to an Anglo-Saxon race to the bottom. With Britain plunged into a Mad-Max-style world borrowed from dystopian fiction”, his speech says.

“These fears about a race to the bottom are based on nothing, not history, not intention, nor interest.

“While I profoundly disagree with them, it does remind us all that we must provide reassurance.”

Davis will say he is “certain” a good trade deal can be achieved with the EU27.

“The agreement we strike will not be about how to build convergence but what to do when one of us wants to make changes to rules,” Davis is due to say.

“Neither side should put up unnecessary barriers during this process.”

Pro-EU Labour MP Chuka Umunna said Davis’ speech was “utterly lacking in any content or vision”.

Municipal Brexit 

British municipal leaders have accused the government of failing to involve them in the Brexit process, as a group of councillors and mayors met European Commission’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Leaders from some of the UK’s largest cities visited Brussels in a bid to have a say in the complex negotiations.

Judith Blake, the chair of Core Cities, which represents 10 of the biggest cities outside London (Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield) said urban leaders were frustrated that MPs had not consulted them on any post-Brexit future.

Blake, leader of Leeds city council, said requests for meetings with Prime Minister Theresa May, Davis and trade minister Liam Fox had been rejected. “The clock is ticking. We are almost a year away from whatever the outcome of the negotiations are,” she told the media.

Most of the cities, including Manchester and Liverpool, voted remain in June 2016, but Birmingham, Nottingham and Sheffield narrowly voted to leave.

 

A pro-EU caricature of David Davis. Picture credit: Eurasia Times