Star Comment: We must not be held to EU ransom

The EU, through its increasingly unlikeable negotiator Michel Barnier, wants Britain to meet its demands on citizens rights, as well as a solution to the problem over the Irish border.

And the bloc also wants us to stump up a huge divorce payout, estimated to be around the £40 billion mark, but which could end up being far higher.

These were all issues that the Government would have expected to have to deal with.

After all, those tasked with negotiating our EU departure on behalf of the bloc were never likely to make things easy for us.

To do so would be to open up the possibility of other member nations pushing the eject button – a scenario that, bearing in mind the turbulent state of the union – must be becoming more appealing with each passing day.

The crucial question for the UK at the end of all this wheeling and dealing, is what do we get in return?

The very last thing we need is some watered down trade deal that will broadly resemble a ‘light touch’ version of the current relationship we have with the EU.

In the EU referendum, the majority of people in this country voted for change.

They voted for a bright, new future where Britain was free to make our own trade deals across the world.

We must be free too to set our own taxes, without the unwanted interventions of Brussels bureaucrats.

There is no subtlety in the methods of Mr Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker, who are using scare tactics in the hope that Theresa May’s Government eventually cave in and decide to scrap Brexit.

They probably believe their cause is being helped by a whole host of insipid Remainers here in the UK.

This includesing failed Labour prime minister Gordon Brown, Tory turncoat Anna Soubry, and the hapless Liberal Democrats.

Mrs May must not back down in the face of the EU’s bullying behaviour.

While her own Government is not exactly firing on all cylinders, she must stand strong against a union that appears to be on the path to self-destruction.

This country voted to leave the EU. In doing so we must not be held to ransom.