The former leader of the Conservative Party raised the issue of tensions arising from “mistrust” between both sides. In a comment piece for the Times, Lord Hague, ex-MP for Richmond Yorkshire, wrote: “There is a choice to be made here, on both sides of the Channel.
“Are we going to muddle along, hoping to resolve each question as the deadline passes, taking our own measures when we deem it appropriate, seeking the advantage from every transaction and hoping no further global crisis hits us while we are busy mistrusting each other?
“Or are we going to acknowledge on both sides that Britain has left the European Union, is not coming back, that everybody can now get over it, that we are each other’s most important neighbours and it is entirely possible to create a better atmosphere for millions of people who will want to work, travel, invest and study abroad?”
He said links between the two sides would not change overnight despite calls from the Irish prime minister to restart relations.
He added: “Of course, any sensible person in Downing Street or the chancelleries of Europe would say, that is exactly what we want.
“The Irish prime minister, Micheál Martin has called for such a ‘reset’ of relations and said the EU is ready for it.
“It will not, however, happen of its own accord. We will not wake up one day to find Lord Frost is suddenly having highly convivial evenings in the Berlaymont building, with effusive toasts all round and the mood completely transformed.”
Lord Hague suggested that a good way to enhance communications between the UK and the bloc would be to give the EU representative in London the diplomatic concessions he has requested.
He explained that the move would entitle the UK’s representative to enjoy more privileges in Brussels.
Lord Hague added that another course of actions would be to propose talks on foreign policy coaction.
