Follow Us

Follow us on Twitter  Follow us on LinkedIn
 

17 July 2017

Tony Blair: Europe willing ‘to accommodate Britain’


The UK could stay in a reformed European Union despite the Brexit vote, according to former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

[...] Blair said every alternative for the U.K.’s future should be made clear to the British people, which would “sensibly include the option of negotiating for Britain to stay within a Europe itself prepared to reform and meet us half way.”

He said the victory of Emmanuel Macron in France had changed “the political dynamics of Europe” and “reform is now on Europe’s agenda,” adding that “European leaders, certainly from my discussions, are willing to consider changes to accommodate Britain, including around freedom of movement.”

The former Labour leader admitted that “Brexit will happen” if “the will of the British people remains as it was last June.” But he said “as we know more about what Brexit means, our ‘will’ changes.”

He also emphasized the importance of the single market and why Britain should stay in it, saying that doing so would mean “the economic damage of Brexit will be limited.”

In the statement, released alongside polling on whether people in the U.K., France and Germany consider themselves part of the political center, Blair didn’t hold back on the state of British politics. “There is a slightly anarchic feel to our politics intensified by the realization that the government is weak and drifting.” [...]

Full article on POLITICO

Blog post



© POLITICO


< Next Previous >
Key
 Hover over the blue highlighted text to view the acronym meaning
Hover over these icons for more information



Add new comment