EU blasted as ‘overbearing empire’ after it tries to block new UK trade deals

The European Commission has proven why Britain was “right to vote for Brexit “, Conservative MPs have claimed after a new row broke out over an attempt to block new trade deals. It comes as Brussels bureaucrats have “advised” EU states “not to respond” to an online questionnaire the UK issued in a bid to reduce trade border delays caused by red tape. The move by Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission is the latest vindictive act against Britain and saw Remainer Labour peer Lord Mandelson boast that it proved the UK cannot do anything without the EU’s permission. But instead leading Brexiteers have accused the Commission of carrying out an act of “self-harm” on the European states they are meant to serve. Former Brexit minister David Jones said it proved that the EU is “an overbearing empire”. David Jones has described the EU as an overbearing Empire (Image: Getty) Mr Jones said: “This confirms what the British public knew when they voted to leave in 2016: the EU is an overbearing empire, destructive of the sovereignty of its member states. “Actions such as this simply underline how fortunate we were to escape its clutches.” The Commission is believed to be “unhappy” that British officials asked member states directly about how they are equipped to facilitate new checks on goods coming into the UK. Brussels is said to have branded the UK’s request for information about each EU state’s “capacity to issue sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) export certificates” as “problematic’. But the intervention has underlined concerns from Brexiteers that the Windsor Framework deal on Northern Ireland which was supposed to herald a new friendship is “nothing but a sham”. Lord Mandelson is a former European Commissioner (Image: Getty) However, Remainer Labour peer Lord Mandelson, who is understood to be advising Sir Keir Starmer, said that the UK needed to try harder to build a new friendship with the EU. He said: “The British government should be doubling down on a good relationship with the commission and building trust. Britain desperately needs this in order to mitigate our losses in trade.’ However, Dudley North Conservative MP Marco Longhi condemned the intervention by Brussels. He said: “Once again, the EU is showing its true colours by stubbornly refusing to cooperate with the UK on border efforts. This demonstrates the EU’s arrogance and disregard for the UK’s sovereignty even after Brexit . “The EU’s refusal to acknowledge the UK’s efforts at the border highlights their intention to create obstacles and hinder British businesses. It’s clear they want to punish the UK for choosing to leave the bloc and to discourage other countries from following suit. ‘But by ignoring the UK’s border proposals, the EU is not only undermining trade relations but also harming their own economies. It’s a shortsighted move that will result in losses on both sides. ‘All this only serves to justify the decision of the British people to leave the bloc. It exposes the EU’s bureaucratic nature and lack of willingness to engage in fair and open trade discussions.”