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Theresa May to be 'robust' in face of EU 'punishment' threat during Brexit transition

The PM dismisses leaked plans to potentially sanction the UK as "noises off" ahead of negotiations.

Prime Minister Theresa May
Image: Theresa May promised UK officials will be 'robust in our arguments'
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Theresa May has vowed to be "robust" in response to leaked EU plans to punish Britain during a Brexit transition period.

The Prime Minister dismissed as "noises off" a draft Brussels document on transitional arrangements, which included proposals for the EU to be handed the power to sanction the UK.

In the event of a dispute between Brussels and London, the EU should be able to suspend Britain's access to the single market - without referral to the European Court of Justice - during the interim phase between 2019 and 2021, the document states.

It has been suggested this power could see the EU handed the ability to ground UK flights to Europe and impose trade tariffs on Britain, raising the prospect of a post-Brexit trade war.

The leaked Brussels plans have sparked anger among Brexiteers, who have urged Mrs May not to accept the proposals in upcoming negotiations over the Brexit transition period.

Veteran Conservative eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash used Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday to ask if Mrs May will "ensure that we repudiate any of these EU threats".

The Prime Minister replied: "I assure him that we will be robust in our arguments.

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"As I have said right from the very beginning, we will hear noises off and all sorts of things being said about positions.

"But what matters is the position that we take in the negotiations as we sit down to negotiate the best deal."

The Union Flag and European Union flags fly near the Elizabeth Tower, during the anti-Brexit 'People's March for Europe'
Image: The leaked EU plans have sparked anger among Brexiteers

Earlier, during Northern Ireland Questions, Brexit-supporting DUP MP Ian Paisley claimed it was "about time the Government demonstrated a 'no surrender' attitude to the EU bureaucrats who try to blackmail us and bully us over flights, passenger duty and everything else".

"Stand up to the EU, and let us get on with leaving it," he added.

In response, Government minister Shailesh Vara said: "The Prime Minister will stand up to anyone and everyone when it comes to maintaining the best interests of the UK."

On Tuesday night, the emergence of the leaked Brussels draft prompted Conservative backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg, who leads an influential group of Brexit-supporting MPs, to step up his pressure on the Prime Minister.

Commenting on the EU document, he told Sky News: "It's not something we could accept."

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage suggested the UK would be left as "Vichy Britain" in a Brexit transition period.

"Mrs May's transition period will be a worse form of EU membership during which the bully boys of Brussels can do what they want to us," he posted on Twitter.