Germany is reportedly willing to be flexible during negotiations which formally got underway as we go to print, and grant UK Brexit concessions amid fears that the talks could fail if Theresa May is ousted as Prime Minister, and Brussels plays the hard ball.
The German foreign minister, Sigmar Gabriel, told the German Welt am Sonntag newspaper: "Perhaps there is now a chance to achieve a so-called soft Brexit deal.” It is thought that the EU negotiators are keen to make clear that the bloc is willing to compromise during talks.
They are reportedly afraid that a hard-line position would lead to increased domestic pressure on Mrs May’s already weakened position and that she could then be ousted during what should be a crucial summer of talks.
According to The Times, the deal could involve the UK being offered access to the European single market, and granted concessions on curtailing the influence of EU judges in return for Britain accepting some element of free movement.
One EU negotiatior said that a weak Tory government “increases the risk” of no deal being done and that “we do not want to be the ones making the situation more difficult”.
