Former senior UK diplomat Julian King pleads for EU trade deal

As negotiations between the UK and the European Union (EU) on a post-Brext trade agreement reach their climax, a former senior British diplomat has issued a dire warning of the consequences of not securing a deal.

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Julian King, who in 2016 was appointed as British European Commissioner by former PM David Cameron, has taken to twitter to argue that it’s “time to do a deal with the EU”.

— Julian King (@JulianBKing) December 1, 2020 ">http://

It’s time to do a deal with the EU. No deal would mean tariffs & quotas, as well as the other restrictions to trade; a break in security cooperation; real difficulties for NI, and tensions elsewhere in the UK 1/3

— Julian King (@JulianBKing) December 1, 2020

King, whose last official role was European Commissioner for the Security Union, has highlighted the adverse impact of a no deal outcome by warning of the consequences pursuant to a degraded cooperation between British and European officials in the security sector.

He has also pointed to potential economic, political and security problems in Northern Ireland, where Brexit-related uncertainty has rejuvenated the Irish Unity movement.  

But above all, King has drawn attention to a potential constitutional crisis leading to the breakup of the country by warning of “tensions elsewhere in the UK”, a cryptic reference to Scotland.

On foreign policy, King argues that a no deal would weaken the UK’s traditional role in mediating between the EU and the US and in addition potentially weaken the UK’s hand in its increasingly volatile relationship with China.

— Julian King (@JulianBKing) December 1, 2020 ">http://

No deal would destroy remaining trust, undermining prospects for agreements on financial services and data exchange, key for economic recovery. It would break with our European neighbours just as they seek to renew relations with the US, not least on China 2/3

— Julian King (@JulianBKing) December 1, 2020

In view of his high diplomatic standing, King has been careful to separate British negotiators from the wider politics that surrounds their work.

UK negotiators have done well, achieving many of their objectives. It’s time to close the deal. Turn the page on the last few years, and move on 3/3

— Julian King (@JulianBKing) December 1, 2020

Beyond his core expertise on the EU, King also served as UK ambassador to Ireland and France, in addition to serving in a high position in the Northern Ireland officer.

He is the most senior and experienced British diplomat to date to sound the alarm bells on the consequences of exiting the European Union without a formal trade deal.  

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