Brexit secretary David Davis: EU is “shooting itself in the foot to prove gun works” over Galileo and security cooperation

David Davis has accused the European Commission of being willing to put citizens at risk rather than compromise over security cooperation.

Speaking from central London the Brexit secretary blasted the European Commission for “shooting itself in the foot to prove the gun works”, accusing Brussels of putting legal precedents ahead of practical considerations, following its threat to kick Britain out of its Galileo satellite navigation programme.

“The whole point of security policy is to make citizens of both our country and the 27 other member states safer,” Davis said. “Clearly, if we don’t have a security policy, they will less safe now than they otherwise would be. The aim, remember, is to save lives, to maintain peace, to maintain security.”

Galileo – which the UK helped fund – has become a major sticking point, with ministers arguing Brussels must repay the 12 per cent contribution if they follow through.

Speaking from the defence think tank RUSI in London Davis said Britain had proved over decades that it could be “trusted” and had been a “proven friend of every country in Europe”.

For that relationship to endure “we need to leave the EU as friends and allies, friends who trust each other”, he added.

He pointed to the “unconditional” offer the UK had made to keep close ties in counter-terrorism and policing, but said this was being met with blocks by the EU commission. Echoing his colleague Sajid Javid’s comments earlier this week, Davis said no European ministers would want to see a reduction in security cooperation.

The government has increasingly been putting pressure on individual member states to help bolster the UK’s case against what is seen as an intransigent Brussels contingent on a number of areas, including financial services.

Davis brought this home by highlighting the global nature of terror threats.

“Any move by others to place conditions on our offer will only serve to put the safety of everybody’s citizens at risk,” he said. “Because when terrorists set off bombs or fire guns — be in it on the streets of Paris, or London, or Manchester or Brussels — they don’t check the passports of their victims first.”