By Ben Kerrigan-
A team of Brexit supporters inspired by Winston Churchill is set to confront Michael Barnier-the chief EU negotiator, to warn him that the UK will walk away without a deal than accept a bad deal.
The group has expressed concern that Barnier is being informed and influenced by only opponents of Brexit and is forming the opinion Britain is weak and biddable.
Consisting of a delegation that includes includes MWP Steven Woolfe, ex-CBI head Lord Digby Jones, Labour Leave chairman John Mills, and former British Chamber of Commerce chief John Longworth, the team hope to invoke the spirit of Churchill telling Mr. Barnier there is “huge support” for reverting to World Trade Organisation rules rather than accept a bad deal.
Mr. Barnier’s spokesman has said that his door is “always open” to those wishing to discuss Brexit.
Mr. Woolfe said: “I think the EU has recognized there has been a bit of an echo chamber – it wasn’t just Blair, Adonis, and Kenneth Clarke, but they also saw the leader of Scotland, the leader of Wales and on two occasions Jeremy Corbyn.
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DAMAGED
“All of those views give the impression that Brexit can be damaged, delayed or – in the words of Blair and Adonis – denied.
“We want to show a bit of strength, that there is an iron will behind the negotiations to give support to our politicians and our civil servants.
“As Winston Churchill said, ‘If we open a quarrel between past and present we shall find that we have lost the future.’ Those prophetic words of more than half a century ago are as true today as they were then.
“With our country embarking on its greatest political transformation since the Second World War we need some of that Churchillian spirit. We need hope, vision and leadership.”
Mr. Woolfe is concerned the EU negotiators have no idea of the strength of pro-Brexit feeling in Britain.
He said: “They don’t yet have an impression of that iron will – but 2018 will mark the launch of the Leaver fightback.
“If you try to persuade British people you can deny Brexit, then be of no doubt that there is huge support for simply moving toward WTO rules and that we will stay there until we can find a satisfactory deal with our European cousins.”
Mr. Barnier will meet with the group on Wednesday and is also due to meet with Nigel Farage on Monday.
Political negotiations about Brexit has proved challenging, but UK prime minister, Theresa May, has successfully managed to complete the first phase of talks, but observers believe tougher stages lie ahead. Most analysts and politicians believe it would be a disaster for the UK to leave the UK without a deal, or with a bad deal, but there is a handful of those who believe the Uk will be just fine without a deal regardless. That would be a tough and very risky option to take.
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