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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/02/wetherspoon-boss-eu-leaders-brexit-talks-tim-martin
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| Wetherspoon's boss attacks EU leaders' 'bullying' on Brexit talks | Wetherspoon's boss attacks EU leaders' 'bullying' on Brexit talks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The chairman of JD Wetherspoon has warned the “bullying” approach to Brexit negotiations taken by some of the EU’s most senior leaders could put at risk the pub chain’s relationship with its European suppliers. | The chairman of JD Wetherspoon has warned the “bullying” approach to Brexit negotiations taken by some of the EU’s most senior leaders could put at risk the pub chain’s relationship with its European suppliers. |
| Tim Martin said Jean Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, and the German and French leaders Angela Merkel and François Hollande were putting pressure on firms to be hostile towards UK trading partners. | |
| He said: “Angela Merkel of Germany and François Hollande of France have supported the stance of the unelected EU ‘president’ Juncker in stating that the UK must pay a price for leaving the EU. According to press reports, Juncker told European business leaders in October not to negotiate with UK companies and to adopt an intransigent attitude. | |
| “If we, and companies like ours, are unable to agree on tariff-free transactions, it will inevitably result in a loss of business for European companies which have done nothing to deserve this outcome. | “If we, and companies like ours, are unable to agree on tariff-free transactions, it will inevitably result in a loss of business for European companies which have done nothing to deserve this outcome. |
| “Indeed, the ultimate sanction will be in the hands of UK consumers, should they take offence at the hectoring and bullying approach of Juncker and co. French wine, champagne and spirits, German beer and Swedish cider, for example, are all at extreme risk.” | “Indeed, the ultimate sanction will be in the hands of UK consumers, should they take offence at the hectoring and bullying approach of Juncker and co. French wine, champagne and spirits, German beer and Swedish cider, for example, are all at extreme risk.” |
| Martin was an active supporter of the Brexit campaign in the runup to the 23 June referendum and since the vote he has criticised the political and economic establishment for doom-laden predictions about the impact of a vote to leave the EU that he says have turned out to be false. | Martin was an active supporter of the Brexit campaign in the runup to the 23 June referendum and since the vote he has criticised the political and economic establishment for doom-laden predictions about the impact of a vote to leave the EU that he says have turned out to be false. |
| The Wetherspoon chairman made the latest comments in a trading update for the first quarter ending 23 October. Like-for-like sales over the period increased by 3.5%, and total sales were up 2.3%. Like-for-like sales strip out the impact of pubs open for less than a year. | The Wetherspoon chairman made the latest comments in a trading update for the first quarter ending 23 October. Like-for-like sales over the period increased by 3.5%, and total sales were up 2.3%. Like-for-like sales strip out the impact of pubs open for less than a year. |
| Wetherspoon said that trading had slowed in recent weeks, adding that its wages bill, business rates, and repairs costs were all expected to rise in the remainder of the year. | Wetherspoon said that trading had slowed in recent weeks, adding that its wages bill, business rates, and repairs costs were all expected to rise in the remainder of the year. |
| Martin said: “The company has made a reasonable start in the current year, but any forecasts for the full year are inevitably tentative, with nine months still to go – and the outlook for the current financial year is unchanged.” | Martin said: “The company has made a reasonable start in the current year, but any forecasts for the full year are inevitably tentative, with nine months still to go – and the outlook for the current financial year is unchanged.” |