The president of the European Parliament said the UK Government was in “no way prepared” for Britain to vote to leave the EU and is unsure when it wants to begin formal Brexit negotiations.
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Prime Minister Theresa May declined to back up Johnson’s contention and rubbished his claims nearly immediately.
The comments suggest a hard line from an institution with a say in Brexit talks.
The UK is asking for a Brexit deal that is “not feasible” for the EU, the President of the European Parliament has told Sky News.
Many British commentators share that view.
There are signs of concern: When May met Shinzo Abe in NY, the Japanese Prime Minister raised the impact of Brexit on his country’s companies, asking for “due consideration to enable their businesses to continue”.
The Spectator magazine’s Tom Goodenough wrote: “By keeping shtum (quiet) about Brexit and pledging that there will be “no running commentary” on Article 50, the prime minister may have saved herself the trouble of worrying about having to go back on her words”.
May has merely stuck to her gnomic expression that “Brexit means Brexit”, without elucidating on the many forms that could take.
In a referendum in June, a narrow majority of voters chose to leave the European Union, although there are still questions about what Brexit will actually entail for the country.
This could see Britain leaving the single market and operate on World Trade Organisation rules internationally, while also imposing strict curbs on immigration from the EU. “Then I have no problem with that provided that we have control”, he said.
“The best possible deal – ladies and gentlemen – with the EU, is membership of the EU”, Schulz said, to applause as he delivered a speech to the London School of Economics.
Michel Barnier, the former financial services Commissioner with a testy relationship with the City of London, will lead the Brexit negotiations with the United Kingdom, the European Commission announced today (27 July).
“The two things have nothing to do with each other”. “I don’t actually think we will necessarily need to spend a full two years but let’s see how we go”.
George Osborne – finance minister under David Cameron, who resigned after the Brexit vote – signalled in a Financial Times interview on Friday that he too wanted a “soft” Brexit.
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It comes after the Chancellor Philip Hammond told business leaders that Theresa May will ensure they can trade with the single market after Brexit.
