Who is Michel Barnier, the man appointed by Juncker to be the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator? An ultra-interventionist, dirigiste Frenchman with a history of bashing Britain and getting into fights with UK governments. This FT article from 2011 gives a taste of what he is like:

“Sir Mervyn King is not known as a man given to shouting. But during a meeting this summer in the genteel surroundings of London’s Threadneedle Street, the Bank of England governor let fly. The visitor sitting across from him was threatening to rein in the governor’s new powers to set capital rules for Britain’s banks. Sir Mervyn was having none of it. As his voice rose, his interpreter grew increasingly startled – particularly as the Frenchman refused to back down. An hour later, Sir Mervyn’s hands were still shaking when he sat down for lunch with George Osborne, the chancellor of the exchequer.”

When barmy Barnier was appointed to his role as EU financial services chief, Nicolas Sarkozy boasted that France had achieved a victory over “Anglo-Saxon capitalism”. In 2009 Gordon Brown flipped out when Sarkozy said Barnier’s appointment meant Britain were “big losers”. In 2010 the Telegraph described him as “the most dangerous man in Europe”. In 2013 Barnier told Britain to accept punitive regulation of the City or leave the EU. This appointment is a an act of war…