Former UK diplomat says Brexit negotiations not going well

A former top British diplomat has said Britain's negotiations over leaving the European Union have not begun well due to infighting among Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet over the kind of deal they are seeking.


Simon Fraser, who until 2015 was the most senior civil servant at Britain's Foreign Office and the head of the UK Diplomatic Service, said the UK government needed to put forward a clearer position.

Since Mrs May lost her parliamentary majority in the June election, infighting between members of her cabinet has broken into the open.

Mr Fraser, who also formerly served as chief of staff to the European Trade Commissioner in Brussels, said: "The negotiations have only just begun, I don't think they have begun particularly promisingly, frankly, on the British side.

"We haven't put forward a lot because, as we know, there are differences within the cabinet about the sort of Brexit that we are heading for and until those differences are further resolved I think it's very difficult for us to have a clear position," he told BBC Radio.

A spokesman for Mrs May said the government disagree strongly with comments suggesting Brexit talks have started badly, adding they believe talks have been constructive so far.
[ rte.ie]
7/8/17