Britain's finance minister said Friday that protecting jobs and the economy should be the main focus in upcoming discussions over the country's exit from the European Union, the CNBC news reports.
Arriving for a meeting with his counterparts in the 28-country EU, Philip Hammond said his "clear view and I believe the view of the majority of people in Britain is that we should prioritize protecting jobs, protecting economic growth and protecting prosperity as we enter those negotiations and take them forward."
The Brexit discussions are due to begin on Monday when the British minister in charge of the process, David Davis, meets the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, in Brussels. The talks are taking place three months after Prime Minister Theresa May formally triggered the two-year Brexit timetable.