脱欧谈判太凶险 英国谈判官学防身术

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

如果有人听到白厅里传出奇怪的呼哧呼哧声，不必大惊小怪，这可能是英国脱欧谈判人士在上防身术课程。

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.

由于担心狂暴的脱欧支持者可能会与那些被认为是不可救药的反脱欧公务员发生肢体冲突，英国脱欧事务部决定为其工作人员开设防身术课程。

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

脱欧事务部部长史蒂夫·贝克日前透露，其部门正在提供防身术课程以“改善员工的身心健康”。

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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.

目前尚不清楚该部门的指导老师具体青睐哪些防身技巧，但专家指出，《卧虎藏龙》里的应用知识或被证明是无价之宝。

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.

此前几个月，坚定的英国脱欧支持者们曾就英国公务员正在“削弱”欧盟谈判，并企图就此拖垮谈判发起了强烈抗议。

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

“离开即是离开”组织的联合主席约翰·朗沃思表示：“他们当然不是仆人，他们通常要比倒霉的部长强得多。”