脫歐談判太兇險 英國談判官學防身術

If anyone hears strange grunting sounds emanating from Whitehall, stay calm - it could be Brexit negotiators taking self-defense lessons.

如果有人聽到白廳裏傳出奇怪的呼哧呼哧聲，不必大驚小怪，這可能是英國脫歐談判人士在上防身術課程。

Fears that furious Brexiteers might get physical with civil servants perceived to be incorrigible "remoaners" have prompted the Department for Exiting the European Union to offer self-defense classes to its staff.

由於擔心狂暴的脫歐支持者可能會與那些被認爲是不可救藥的反脫歐公務員發生肢體衝突，英國脫歐事務部決定爲其工作人員開設防身術課程。

The Brexit minister Steve Baker revealed that his department was offering the classes "to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of staff".

脫歐事務部部長史蒂夫·貝克日前透露，其部門正在提供防身術課程以“改善員工的身心健康”。

It is not yet known exactly which defensive techniques the department's instructors favor, but experts note that a working knowledge of crouching tigers and hidden dragons may prove invaluable.

目前尚不清楚該部門的指導老師具體青睞哪些防身技巧，但專家指出，《臥虎藏龍》裏的應用知識或被證明是無價之寶。

The initiative follows months of furious complaints from prominent Brexit advocates that civil servants are "undermining" EU negotiations in the hope that the talks will collapse.

此前幾個月，堅定的英國脫歐支持者們曾就英國公務員正在“削弱”歐盟談判，並企圖就此拖垮談判發起了強烈抗議。

John Longworth, co-chairman of Leave Means Leave, said: "They are certainly not servants, often running rings around hapless ministers."

“離開即是離開”組織的聯合主席約翰·朗沃思表示：“他們當然不是僕人，他們通常要比倒黴的部長強得多。”