France predicts UK and EU will ‘rip each other apart’ as Brexit talks loom

France has set the stage for a bitter battle between Britain and the European Union as it predicted that the two sides are set to “rip each other apart” in post-Brexit trade talks.

Boris Johnson is to accuse Brussels of acting ridiculously and unreasonably by demanding that the UK signs up to its future regulations in such areas as workers’ rights and tax.

Although negotiations do not formally get underway for another fortnight, Britain is adopting a tough opening position by ruling out accepting EU regulations as the price of a free trade agreement.

It argues that following EU rules would negate the point of Brexit by compromising the UK’s sovereignty. It also insists that many standards are already higher in Britain than in many EU countries.

David Frost, the Prime Minister’s Europe adviser, is due to set out Britain’s position in a lecture in Brussels on Monday.

The EU is adopting an equally unyielding tone and, although strong words are inevitable at this point, a profound gap has opened between London and Brussels.

Rip each other apart?

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Jean-Yves le Drian, the French foreign minister, said: “I think that on trade issues and the mechanism for future relations, which we are going to start on, we are going to rip each other apart.

“But that is part of negotiations, everyone will defend their own interests.”