‘Stop the pessimism!’ Brexit MEP Dan Hannan BLASTS Norman Lamb’s bleak trade deal vision

The pair clashed during an appearance on Radio 4’s debate show Any Questions on Friday evening.

It began as Mr Lamb, the former health minister, accused Theresa May of “playing poker with the British economy” over her promise to walk away from the negotiating table in Brussels without a deal. 

He said: “I think that’s an enormous concern for all of us. We all have a responsibility to do the best deal we can for this country but there is no doubt there is every real risk here.”

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Daniel Hannan tore into Norman Lamb’s ‘pessimistic’ approach to Brexit

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I’m a huge admirer of Norman but this pessimism is baseless and irrational

Daniel Hannan MEP

But, Mr Hannan, a Tory MEP who campaigned vigorously for Leave in June’s referendum, was quick to counter the Lib Dem MP’s downbeat argument with a more optimistic vision.

He retorted: “I’m a huge admirer of Norman but this pessimism is baseless and irrational.

“I haven’t come across a single politician or a single Brussels official who is proposing tariffs or other trade barriers.

“We’re fretting about something that absolutely no one has put on the table, and the reason they haven’t is because countries don’t trade with each other out of kindness.”

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The Brexit MEP appeared on Radio 4’s Any Question on Friday

Mr Hannon added: “We’re expecting them to act in their own interests as we will, on the day we leave, we become the EU’s single largest export destination. 

“In these trade talks, unlike any others, we’re starting with zero tariffs and regulatory equivalents.

“Usually in trade talks the difficulty is overcoming the status quo interests that have built up around the established dispensation.”

Meanwhile, Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, warned the EU will only talk trade with Britain once “sufficient progress” had been made on the Brexit divorce bill. 

Reported to stand a £50billion, Mr Tusk rejected the Prime Minister’s request for side-by-side exit and trade talks until the UK has settled the debt.

Speaking in Malta on Friday, Mr Tusk said: “Once and only we have achieved sufficient progress on the withdrawal can we discuss the framework for our future relationship.

“Starting parallel talks on all issues at the same time, as suggested by some in the UK, will not happen.”