EU leaders are not “bluffing” when they say the UK will be left without access to the single market when it leaves the bloc if there is no free movement of people, Malta"s prime minister says.
Joseph Muscat, whose country assumes the EU"s presidency in January, told the BBC “this is really and truly our position and I don"t see it changing”.
Theresa May says the UK will begin the legal process to leave the EU by March.
Mr Muscat said talks on the details of a “new relationship” could be delayed.
Much political debate has focused on the possibility of a “soft” Brexit – the UK retaining some form of membership of the single market in exchange for conceding some control over immigration – and “hard Brexit” – leaving the single market but having fuller control over migration.
But Mr Muscat said the UK and EU needed to first reach agreement on a range of other details once Mrs May triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.
He said these included the bill the UK must pay befor..
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