Boris Johnson has said Britain will pay “not a penny more, not a penny less” than it has to after Brexit after previously saying Brussels should “go whistle” over the so-called divorce bill.
The Foreign Secretary said Britain will meet its legal obligations to the bloc as he faced questions about his earlier stance over a potential financial settlement.
He made the remarks in the Commons in July when grilled by MPs over demands from Brussels that Britain must pay a bill of tens of billions of pounds to cover the cost of Brexit.
Asked whether Britain would have to pay, Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Of course we will meet our obligations, we are law-abiding, bill-paying people. The UK has contributed hundreds of billions over the years… well, we will certainly meet our obligations.”
Mr Johnson said he would not “haggle” over the figure, adding: “I can give you an absolute clear, precise answer and that is we should pay not a penny more, not a penny less of what we think our legal obligations amount.”
He dodged questions on whether he would support a transition deal, backed by Chancellor Philip Hammond, which would allow for temporary arrangements on trading conditions after Brexit.
The Government has set out our clear principles for how we will resolve disputes after EU exit https://t.co/D9YGCG42op pic.twitter.com/UMhm27e452
— Exiting the EU Dept (@DExEUgov) August 23, 2017
Mr Johnson said “speed and efficiency” were a priority if there was a transition period on membership of the customs union.
Negotiators are gearing up for the third round of formal talks in Brussels next week, following the publication of a number of Government position papers on crucial matters such as trade and the role of the European Court of Justice post-Brexit.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe