UK tipped to rejoin EU project as Truss 'softens' Frost's tough Brexit stance

Press quote (Express)
07 January 2022

If Ms Truss is able to strike a deal, this would finally put an end to the delay in Britain’s involvement in the project. It might now be more likely than when Lord Frost was in charge, according to Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank. He said: “With David Frost’s departure, there’s at least a chance of a bit of a reset in the EU-UK relationship because people in Brussels reckoned so long as he was there they couldn’t have a much better relationship.”

Mr Grant claimed that the Foreign Secretary would “try to get a deal fairly soon” on the Northern Ireland protocol. And he suggested that the UK has been softening its negotiating stance.

Mr Grant said: “Even before David Frost resigned there were signs of the British softening their position by saying that they didn’t insist that the European Court of Justice be taken out of the equation altogether in the protocol.

He added: “If I’m right that the British want to reach a deal with Northern Ireland, that holds up hope for Horizon.”