European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier
Britain and the European Union can reach a deal on Britain's withdrawal from the bloc if they preserve the integrity of the EU's single market, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Monday.
In a tweet, after meeting the Spanish prime minister in Madrid, Barnier said Spain had the EU's full support in negotiating with Britain on the status of Gibraltar after Britain leaves the EU in March 2019.
"A deal with the UK is possible if integrity of Single Market is preserved. Full support for Spain in its negotiations w/ UK on Gibraltar, which need to conclude asap," Barnier said on Twitter.
British Prime Minister Theresa May is confident of reaching a Brexit deal with Brussels but the government is fully prepared in case no agreement is possible, her spokesman said on Monday."We have set out that we are confident of reaching a deal with the European Union and that we are making progress ... but you also heard from the prime minister this morning ... that our best days are ahead of us. We are putting in place plans which will allow the UK to succeeded in all scenarios," the spokesman told reporters. UK faces 'significantly worse' outlook if no Brexit deal: IMFThe alternative to my Brexit deal is no deal: UK PM May
UK PM May's spokesman: We are confident of reaching Brexit deal
British finance minister Philip Hammond said on Monday that London had to listen to the "clear warnings" from the International Monetary Fund about the risks of a no-deal Brexit to Britain's economy.Hammond, speaking as the IMF said in a report that Britain faced a "significantly worse" economic outlook if it did not reach a Brexit deal, said he was confident an agreement would be reached in the autumn, but a no-deal outcome was not impossible.Hammond has been criticised by some Brexit supporters who say he wants to maintain a relationship with Brussels that would keep Britain under too much influence from the EU. UK faces 'significantly worse' outlook if no Brexit deal: IMFEU must do all it can to avoid hard Brexit: Austrian chancellorThe alternative to my Brexit deal is no deal: UK PM May
UK must heed IMF's 'clear warnings' on no-deal Brexit: Hammond
Britain's economy would face a "significantly worse" outlook if the country leaves the European Union next year without a deal than if it reaches a Brexit agreement, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday.The IMF said it expected Britain's economy would grow by about 1.5 percent a year in 2018 and 2019 if a broad Brexit agreement was struck.In July, the IMF said the economy would grow by 1.4 percent this year and 1.5 percent in 2019.But a more disruptive Brexit would lead to a "signficantly worse outcome", the IMF said in its latest report on Britain's economy published on Monday.EU must do all it can to avoid hard Brexit: Austrian chancellorBritain is due to leave the EU in March next year but London and Brussels have yet to strike a deal to secure a transition period. Prime Minister Theresa May is hoping to make progress towards a deal when she meets fellow EU leaders this week.Britain's economy -- the world's fifth-biggest -- slowed after the 2016 referendum decision to leave the EU and it continues to be outpaced by most other rich nations.However, stronger-than-expected data last week showed the economy had its fastest growth in nearly a year, helped by the World Cup and hot summer weather.The IMF said there was a "daunting" range of issues still be dealt with for Brexit and all outcomes of Britain's departure from the EU would entail costs for the economy. The alternative to my Brexit deal is no deal: UK PM MayEU leaders to discuss migration, Brexit in Salzburg
UK faces 'significantly worse' outlook if no Brexit deal: IMF