A cock-a-hoop Ann Widdecombe has scoffed at German pleas for the UK to “call them” about a trade deal saying it is “tough luck”.
German finance minister Christian Lindner told the BBC, if Britain wanted to “intensify your trade relationship with the EU” then “call us”.
But his comments have been met with consternation by some in the bloc who don’t want to admit post-Brexit Britain is a sought-after trading partner.
Exports from Germany to the UK have shrunk by nearly 15 percent since Brexit and EU car exports, many of which are from German companies, have halved over the same period.
Speaking to GB News, former Conservative employment minister Ann Widdecombe said a change of tune from some countries towards Brexit Britain was a sign they were “missing us quite considerably”.
She told Mark Dolan on the channel: “I think it’s missing our contribution. I think it’s just missing our general participation.
“But tough luck. And what strikes me about this is Germany wouldn’t, out of the goodness of its heart, make offers to Britain for Britain’s sake.
“This is Germany saying, Oh dear, you know, we’re not doing so well out of this Brexit business. Perhaps we should try to swing it a little more our way. I mean, that is effectively what’s going on. And yes, we should all be laughing at that.”
She added: “My actual fear in all of this is not Germany, it’s not the EU. It’s Keir Starmer, who has said in terms, and this is probably what has encouraged Germany.
“He said in terms, that he wants to negotiate a better deal. Now, a better deal actually means, the single market or the customs union or further regulation or whatever it might be.
“It’s not going to work solely in our favour. We haven’t got a particularly good deal at the moment. Let’s not make it any worse.”
In an interview with the BBC, German finance minister Mr Lindner said: “We really appreciate the United Kingdom and its values, its people … and I would really, really appreciate it if we can intensify [the trade relationship] again.
“If [the] United Kingdom decides for a special relationship with the European Union and our single market, you are invited … But at the moment, the United Kingdom decided for its own way and so these are these obstacles in the daily life. I regret it.”
