‘We are heading for NO-DEAL Brexit’ - Liam Fox LASHES OUT at EU’s ‘intransigence’

The International Trade Secretary, whose job it is to galvanise trade with the rest of the world, has put the chances of a no-deal Brexit at “60-40”.

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His gloomy outlook comes despite both sides claiming they intend to reach an agreement on the UK’s departure from the bloc in March 2019.

The staunch Brexiteer warned the risk of a no-deal Brexit was increasingly pronounced, blaming the European Commission and Brussels’ chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

He told the Sunday Times: "I think the intransigence of the commission is pushing us towards no deal.

"We have set out the basis in which a deal can happen but if the EU decides that the theological obsession of the unelected is to take priority over the economic wellbeing of the people of Europe then it's a bureaucrats' Brexit - not a people's Brexit - then there is only going to be one outcome."

The trade secretary argued Mr Barnier had dismissed the UK’s Chequers proposals thrashed out by Theresa May simply because “we have never done it before”.

The Government has conceded its proposals are unprecedented, but Mr Fox said Mr Barnier’s response “makes the chance of no deal greater.”

While Brexit campaigners promised swift trade deals after Brexit, Dr Fox has questioned the benefit of rushing.

The former GP said: “As with anything, including the EU itself, the question is getting it right, not getting it quickly.

“I don’t recall any of my patients saying ‘I don’t care what treatment you give me, just give it to me quickly.’

“Not sure that would have been a very smart approach.”

An impending global trade war means Mr Fox is faced with troubled waters to navigate ahead of the UK’s departure from the bloc.

He said: “Selling anything is more difficult if the result of measures and countermeasures in the global economy were to result in a slowing down or stalling of the global economy.

“Britain depends on a growing global economy, a thriving, prospering global economy.

“No one ever wins a trade war. There are only casualties.

“The smart thing to do is restrict the activity when the casualty number is at its smallest.”

The UK hopes to fire up trade deals with the US, Australia and New Zealand and to uphold 40 or so existing EU deals with about 70 markets during the 21-month transition period after Brexit next March.

The Government intends said deals to come into effect in 2020, acting as a buffer for the potential economic fallout after it quits the single market.

The trade secretary accepted he had set the bar high, but added: “If I had my way, I would be more ambitious yet”.

Dr Fox argued any form of customs union would be unacceptable for him because it would prevent the UK from striking out on its own.

On the subject of the UK benefiting from existing trade EU deals, he admitted there was likely to be a difficult road ahead.

According to Dr Fox, “technical reasons” might prevent some of the dozens of nations covered from rolling over their deal for the UK.

He said: “Our ambition is that they all do. We’ve not actually had any resistance from countries saying they don’t want to.

“After all, they’re talking about market access with the fifth biggest economy in the world.

“Who wouldn’t want that? So there’s a strong element of self-interest involved.”