Brexit Negotiations Spill on to Twitter as U.K., EU Spar on Food
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The U.K. and European Union chief Brexit negotiators publicly sparred on Twitter over claims that food imports to Northern Ireland have been threatened in the talks, a sign of deepening tension in the negotiations.
Responding to a newspaper article by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in which he said the EU is threatening a “blockade” in the Irish Sea, Michel Barnier denied that the EU is refusing to recognize Britain as a country from which it would accept food imports.
“Sticking to facts is also essential,” Barnier tweeted. “To be listed, we need to know in full what a country’s rules are.”
Barnier’s comment then drew a seven-tweet reply from David Frost, who said the EU had indeed threatened to not allow food imports to enter Northern Ireland.
@DavidGHFrost
Replying to @DavidGHFrost5/7 Yet it has been made clear to us in the current talks that there is no guarantee of listing us. I am afraid it has also been said to us explicitly in these talks that if we are not listed we will not be able to move food to Northern Ireland.2:31 PM · Sep 13, 2020
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