The chairman of the influential European Research Group of Conservative backbenchers said that the prime minister needed to threaten non-payment of the Brexit divorce bill and be stronger in facing down Brussels. Jacob Rees - Jones , chairman of the European Democrat Group of Welsh MPs , has called on UK Prime Minister Theresa May to withhold the £ 40bn ( $ 53bn ) " divorce " payment from the EU . Speaking on the BBC 's Andrew Marr Show , Rees - Mogg said May had made " a huge number " of compromises , and ought to tell the EU negotiators " if we do n’t get the trade deal we want , you do n’t get the money " .
Jacob Rees - Jones , chairman of the European Democrat Group of Welsh MPs , has called on UK Prime Minister Theresa May to withhold the £ 40bn ( $ 53bn ) " divorce " payment from the EU . Speaking on the BBC 's Andrew Marr Show , Rees - Mogg said May had made " a huge number " of compromises , and ought to tell the EU negotiators " if we do n’t get the trade deal we want , you do n’t get the money " .