Poll: a Brexit divorce bill over £30bn would be ‘unacceptable’

30 Aug 17

More than 70% of British adults said paying a Brexit divorce bill higher than £30bn would be unacceptable, according to an ICM poll.

The survey of 1,972 people found that 72% were against the idea that paying above £30bn was acceptable, only 11% responded that such a figure could be justified.

When asked if £20bn was agreeable 65% said no and even 40% said £10bn was not worth paying.

Martin Boon from the ICM stated the question of the divorce bill was “clearly a difficult sell to the British public”.

On Tuesday, Jean-Claude Juncker president of the European Commission criticised Britian’s Brexit policy papers as “unsatisfactory”.

He reiterated that negotiations could not progress unless key issues such as the divorce bill had been reconciled.

"We need to be crystal clear that we will begin no negotiations on the new economic and trade relationship between the UK and the EU before all these questions are resolved... that is the divorce between the EU and the UK,” he stated.

A government spokesman said: “The PM has made clear that we will be seeking a deep and special partnership with the EU, that works in the interests of businesses and consumers in both the UK and the EU.

“We have published a paper that lays out the government's aspirations for the UK's future customs arrangements, and also makes clear that we want an implementation period that avoids a cliff-edge for business and allows a smooth and orderly exit from the EU.”

CIPFA has recently launched a Brexit Advisory Commission to explore the impact leaving the EU will have on public services.

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