UK can only help keep EU citizens 'safe' if Brussels delivers on post-Brexit trade deal, Government document warns

Britain can only help to keep EU citizens “safe” if Brussels delivers a post-Brexit trade deal, the Government says – controversially linking the two issues in a new negotiating paper.

The document sets out how “open markets and customs arrangements that are as frictionless as possible” are vital for the UK to contribute to ensuring Europe has “the best war-fighting capacity”.

It also throws doubt on intelligence cooperation after Brexit, saying only that Britain “could also offer classified information exchange to support external action”.

And the paper widens the areas where security cooperation will be threatened if the exit talks break down to include “chemical, biological or radiological agents”. The stance comes despite Defence Secretary Michael Fallon insisting the UK is not trying to “blackmail” the EU, by using its military muscle as a bargaining chip in the troubled talks.

The Independent revealed how EU sources have already warned Britain not to use that strength as leverage, one saying: “The days of gunboat diplomacy are over.”

The “future partnership paper” sets out Britain’s willingness “to contribute military assets” to Europe’s security, as fears grow – in Eastern Europe in particular – about increased Russian aggression.

Britain also stands ready to cooperate on sanctions and agree joint positions on foreign policy as part of a “deep security partnership”, it says.

However, controversially, one section goes on to explicitly link defence cooperation with securing a trade deal, risking a backlash in Brussels.

On future defence, it reads: “The UK has an important role in continuing this through innovation, research and collaboration. Open markets and customs arrangements that are as frictionless as possible are important to the continued success of this sector and to ensure that British and European Armed Forces can access the best war-fighting capacity to keep us safe.”

The paper also explicitly points out how Britain is a “world leader” in tackling the “international nature of public health hazards”.

Setting out the dangers without cooperation, it says: “The UK has particular expertise in tackling difficult emerging health and global public health issues, such as those antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease. The UK has a well-developed integrated health protection system that is an important contributor to threat identification, risk assessment and mitigation in the region.”

In her Article 50 letter triggering the Brexit process in March, the Prime Minister first warned that failure to reach a deal would mean that “cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened”. The words were immediately taken by some figures in Brussels as a threat to cut future security links if no favourable trade deal followed.

But Sir Michael told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “This isn't blackmail, this isn't a negotiating strategy. What we are doing – and everybody has asked for this – is to set out how we see the new partnership the day after Brexit. We want to fight terrorism together. It's vital. We are not making threats. We have made it clear since the Article 50 letter that this new partnership has to be both economic and security cooperation.”

Labour MP Chris Bryant, a leading supporter of the pro-EU Open Britain campaign, said: “The Government's intention to continue to share a deep foreign policy and security relationship with the EU in future is welcome, but it makes a mockery of their threat to leave the EU with no deal at all. Doing so would overnight end our security relationship with Europe, putting our citizens and theirs at risk. It is high time the Government dropped its absurd no-deal threat.”