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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Lead Brexit campaigner urges EU flexibility on trade

Former UKIP leader and current MEP Nigel Farage speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels on Monday, Jan. 8, 2018. (Virginia Mayo / Associated Press)
Associated Press

BRUSSELS – A top campaigner for Britain to leave the European Union is urging the bloc to back down and include the U.K.’s vast financial services sector in talks on their future trade ties.

British EU lawmaker Nigel Farage said “the European Union is going to have to give a bit more than it’s currently prepared to do.”

His remarks came after talks Monday with EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier. These talks will have no direct impact on Brexit negotiations, which must be completed before Britain leaves on March 29, 2019.

Farage said the financial services sector should be included in any EU-U.K. trade deal, but Barnier has ruled this out.

Farage said that without compromise “the calls to go out of the EU under (World Trade Organization) rules will increase.”