He said: “The UK public genuinely regards the European people as friends and allies but are fed up with this palaver.”
Martin claimed if any deal ties the UK to EU laws, or fails to regain fishing rights, it could drive imports from EU countries down to zero.
“In my opinion, the public is fed up with repeated warnings from French president Emmanuel Macron and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, in areas such as fishing rights and prospective delays to a deal beyond the end of this year,” he added.
“Scare stories about planes not flying, blocked ports or loss of jobs in the City of London have proved to be cobblers and consumers won’t fall for Macron and Barnier’s baloney.
“If the public is tricked or cajoled, it will have the power to drive imports from France and Germany down to zero, irrespective of any agreement.”
A laughing stock
He continued: “It’s truly pathetic of the EU to imply that a deal can’t be done by December 2020.
“Brussels is a laughing stock in most of the world for its bureaucracy and sclerosis.
“If Macron and Barnier don’t want a deal, or make threats, consumers will simply reject EU goods and will buy from the rest of the world – as Wetherspoon has shown by swapping French brandy and Champagne, and German spirits and beers, for UK and new world alternatives.”
In 2018, the giant pubco announced it was taking Jägermeister and French brandies Courvoisier VS and Hennessy Fine de Cognac off its drink menu and replacing them with tipples from outside the EU.
“Anything that is bought from Europe can be bought from elsewhere,” Martin claimed.
But despite the pubco announcing last month (20 January), it will celebrate Brexit by reducing the price of 10 products that originate from a range of European countries, JDW has confirmed it will not clear the tipples from its menu after the flash sale.
