Jacob Rees-Mogg has called for Britain to take a tougher stance against the European Union, urging the Government to grow a “backbone” in its dealings with Brussels.
Speaking to GB News, Rees-Mogg dismissed the authority of the European Court of Justice over Britain, arguing that the UK should no longer heed its rulings.
He claimed that the UK should be “a bit more Trumpian in our approach” when dealing with the European Union.
He explained: “I think we’ve behaved extraordinarily well to the EU member states, citizens who have been given permission to stay in this country.
He claimed that the UK should be “a bit more Trumpian in our approach”
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“I don’t think we should take any notice of the European Court any more. This related to an agreement that we made prior to 2020. It’s now four-years-old.
“It’s time that the European Court just stopped interfering. And if the British Government had any backbone, by some miracle, they would not listen.”
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He added: “If you carry on with this court business, we won’t pay you any more money either. We’ve got to stand up and we need to be a bit tougher, a bit more Trumpian in our approach to the failing European Union.”
His comments come as Brussels takes legal action against Britain over post-Brexit citizens’ rights.
The European Commission announced on Monday it would refer the UK to the European Court of Justice over alleged failures to protect EU citizens’ rights after Brexit.
Brussels claims there have been “several shortcomings” in Britain’s implementation of treaties at the end of 2020.
The case centres on the rights of EU nationals and their families who were residing in Britain before Brexit and were granted permission to remain under the Withdrawal Agreement.
A growing number of cases have emerged of EU citizens being denied entry at UK borders or facing deportation orders after returning from holidays abroad.
The legal action comes despite Labour’s recent efforts to improve relations with Brussels, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves becoming the first British chancellor since Brexit to attend a eurozone meeting.
The Commission said several elements of their grievances remain unaddressed, including concerns about workers’ rights and the rights of extended family members.
The legal action comes despite Labour’s recent efforts to improve relations with Brussels
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Under the post-Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, EU citizens already living in Britain and their families were granted broadly the same rights they had before Brexit.
The UK’s Independent Monitoring Authority recently raised concerns with the Home Office about the “certificate of application” system, which is meant to prove EU citizens’ right to remain while their status is pending.
The European Commission initiated the case in May 2020 with a formal notice to Britain, claiming national legislation limited the scope of EU free movement law beneficiaries. The UK had two months to respond to the Commission’s concerns before the case was referred to the European Court of Justice.
A government spokesperson responded to the legal action, stating: “These cases relate to issues from when the UK was an EU member state and during the transition period. We are not going to comment further on legal proceedings.”
