EU leaders express dismay after May's Brexit defeat

By Robin Emmott and Jan Strupczewski

 

European Council President Donald Tusk attends a march against violence and hatred in the wake of a deadly attack on Gdansk Major Pawel Adamowicz, who was stabbed on stage of a public charity event, in Gdansk, Poland January 14, 2019. Agencja Gazeta/Bartosz Banka via REUTERS

 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders expressed dismay and regret on Tuesday after the British parliament rejected a Brexit divorce deal, saying they were stepping up emergency planning and warned London was running out of time.

 

The EU's chief executive, the European Parliament Brexit negotiator and a host of prime ministers took to Twitter to call on London for ideas on what to do now to stop Britain crashing out of the bloc with no deal on March 29.

 

European Council President Donald Tusk, who chairs EU summits, suggested the only real solution was for Britain to stay in the EU after British lawmakers defeated Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit divorce deal by a crushing margin of 432 to 202.

 

"If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?" Tusk tweeted after the vote.

 

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who has overseen two years of tortuous negotiations between London and Brussels and offered assurances to May on the eve of the vote, said that for Britain: "Time is almost up."

 

He warned in a statement that the chances of Britain leaving the bloc without an agreement had increased, referring to a so-called disorderly withdrawal, and that the Commission would continue its no-deal preparations.

 

EU leaders, who signed off on the Brexit deal in December, have repeatedly said it was the best solution possible because it provided a transition period for businesses to adapt.

 

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz tweeted: "I regret the outcome of the Brexit vote in the British lower house in London. In any case there will be no renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement."

 

French President Emmanuel Macron said Britain would be the biggest loser if it crashed out of the EU without a deal.

 

The Irish government urged Britain to set out how it proposed moving forward, and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is due to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, warned that an abrupt British exit from the EU would be "catastrophic".

 

EU leaders have insisted there could be no renegotiation.

 

But as the parliamentary defeat fed uncertainty in European capitals, several leaders called on Britain to come up with alternatives to the rejected withdrawal agreement.

 

Echoing the frustration of leaders of Belgium, Denmark and Luxembourg, who reacted in succession on social media and said they were actively preparing for a no-deal scenario, the EU parliament's Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt said British lawmakers now needed to say what kind of deal they wanted.

 

"The UK parliament has said what it doesn't want," Verhofstadt, a former Belgian premier, said on Twitter. "Now it is time to find out what UK parliamentarians want. In the meantime, the rights of citizens must be safeguarded."

 

(Reporting by Robin Emmott and Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-01-16

Another referendum coming soon!

13 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Another referendum coming soon!

I think that's exactly the plan, because the majority of parliament is against Brexit.

16 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Another referendum coming soon!

But time is running out. Not sure if a referendum effort can withstand the sure to come uprising by brexiters. I agree though this is the only way.

All this was predictable since a long time. May and her government delayed, delayed and delayed some more - in the stupid hope that would make more MPs agree. Stupid!

And where is Plan B and C and others? It's was obvious since forever that plan A won't work. But everybody avoided making any decent backup plans - amazing UK.

One would think that top politicians, who manage a country should do better than that. And that's a so called first world country...

1 minute ago, keemapoot said:

But time is running out. Not sure if a referendum effort can withstand the sure to come uprising by brexiters. I agree though this is the only way.

Brexiters will always complain. Even if Brexit would happen in whatever way they would still blame the EU and all the other for the problems.

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Brexiters will always complain. Even if Brexit would happen in whatever way they would still blame the EU and all the other for the problems.

Yes, and my crystal ball says the UK will find a way to remain in the EU, and brexiters will be kicking and screaming for years....

 

*probably with an article 50 recision, backed by a new referendum.

Edited January 15, 20197 yr by keemapoot

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And where is Plan B and C and others? It's was obvious since forever that plan A won't work

Plan B which should have been Plan A all along is to do as the electors voted for and to leave the EU, there was no need for any other plan, we have wasted 2 years in trying to bow and curtsy to the EU, show them Churchills 2 fingers, and have the balls to leave. all the mp's are like school children, parliament needs a good shake up, the 2 party system is flawed.

Surely this outcome cannot have come as a surprise to the EU leaders?

Corbyn looks like a dog on heat but unfortunately still a dog the posturing continues as all the wheels have now fallen off to an early end to this debacle???? 

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

All this was predictable since a long time. May and her government delayed, delayed and delayed some more - in the stupid hope that would make more MPs agree. Stupid!

And where is Plan B and C and others? It's was obvious since forever that plan A won't work. But everybody avoided making any decent backup plans - amazing UK.

One would think that top politicians, who manage a country should do better than that. And that's a so called first world country...

Here's a backup plan for you:

 

A BETTER DEAL AND A BETTER FUTURE

 

An alternative written ministerial statement under the terms

of EUWA 2018 S13(4) 15 January 2019

 

Exiting the EU: the Government’s policy for EU withdrawal following the vote of the House of Commons on 15 January 2019.

 

http://2mbg6fgb1kl380gtk22pbxgw-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/A-Better-Deal-and-a-Better-Future.pdf

 

I think this was the plan all along. Offer a deal so bad that there was no way it would be accepted by parliament. Simultaneously ramp up Project Fear about the sky falling if we trade on WTO terms and then call the whole thing off.

 

A sad, sad time for Democracy in the UK if Brexit is aborted. There really is no point voting if the result is overturned by the political classes.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Now it is time to find out what UK parliamentarians want.

But they do not seem to know what they want ...

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

All this was predictable since a long time. May and her government delayed, delayed and delayed some more - in the stupid hope that would make more MPs agree. Stupid!

And where is Plan B and C and others? It's was obvious since forever that plan A won't work. But everybody avoided making any decent backup plans - amazing UK.

One would think that top politicians, who manage a country should do better than that. And that's a so called first world country...

It’s not like the absence of a plan was not discussed before the referendum.

31 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

Here's a backup plan for you:

 

A BETTER DEAL AND A BETTER FUTURE

 

 

 

An alternative written ministerial statement under the terms

 

of EUWA 2018 S13(4) 15 January 2019

 

 

 

Exiting the EU: the Government’s policy for EU withdrawal following the vote of the House of Commons on 15 January 2019.

 

 

 

http://2mbg6fgb1kl380gtk22pbxgw-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/A-Better-Deal-and-a-Better-Future.pdf

 

 

Your cross posting gave me the opportunity to laugh at your bad joke of an idea twice.

2 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

But they do not seem to know what they want ...

De-selection ????

4 hours ago, steve187 said:

Plan B which should have been Plan A all along is to do as the electors voted for and to leave the EU, there was no need for any other plan, we have wasted 2 years in trying to bow and curtsy to the EU, show them Churchills 2 fingers, and have the balls to leave. all the mp's are like school children, parliament needs a good shake up, the 2 party system is flawed.

Do you follow the news at least from time to time? Do you have any idea what it means for the UK to leave without deal?

There is no such thing as just leave. Too many things have to be sorted out. Lots of Brits in the EU, lots of EU citizens in the UK, flights, insurance, lots of business, etc. You can't just make it stop from one day to the next.

And all that was explained again and again. But some people just don't listen...

4 hours ago, manarak said:

I think that's exactly the plan, because the majority of parliament is against Brexit.

More important, the majority of Brits are now against it

Conspiracy after conspiracy. And the Parliament full of vile, evil & corrupt people whom none of you voted for.

 

I just don't know how you Brits are going to manage ...

4 hours ago, DoctorG said:

Surely this outcome cannot have come as a surprise to the EU leaders?

It's not. Tusk already had his lines written for him. Partly paid for by the UK taxpayer, of course. ????

57 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do you follow the news at least from time to time? Do you have any idea what it means for the UK to leave without deal?

There is no such thing as just leave. Too many things have to be sorted out. Lots of Brits in the EU, lots of EU citizens in the UK, flights, insurance, lots of business, etc. You can't just make it stop from one day to the next.

And all that was explained again and again. But some people just don't listen...

The news. ????

Either cancel the whole thing or go the Canada +++ deal way...simple, but maybe too simple for the simpletons.

5 hours ago, DoctorG said:

Surely this outcome cannot have come as a surprise to the EU leaders?

 

would tend to agree with that,

and in my view, they did invest efforts in delivering a deal resulting in the defeat

considering that their interest is hardly served with a no-deal exit, no wonder that they are pissed off

 

kinda self inflicted injury - som naam naa style

 

they didn't help Cameron much either, to win his stay/leave referendum

another som naam naa

 

 

 

5 hours ago, steve187 said:

Plan B which should have been Plan A all along is to do as the electors voted for and to leave the EU, there was no need for any other plan, we have wasted 2 years in trying to bow and curtsy to the EU, show them Churchills 2 fingers, and have the balls to leave. all the mp's are like school children, parliament needs a good shake up, the 2 party system is flawed.

So leavers have learnt precisely nothing over the past 3 years. Not at all surprised but it is shocking that so many of my countrymen exhibit such ignorance.

 

By all means leave but keep SM and CU (and other agreements such as Euratom, Galileo and security agreements). Maybe a leaver can explain precisely why that doesn't work for them?

Too many things have to be sorted out. Lots of Brits in the EU, lots of EU citizens in the UK, flights, insurance, lots of business, etc. You can't just make it stop from one day to the next.
And all that was explained again and again. But some people just don't listen...

Of course we won’t listen to the Remainer “it’s too difficult” excuses.
From the decision to have a referendum to 29th March they’ve had three years to sort it out. Obfuscation, obstinacy and Remainer deception has lead to the current mess.

When we are out on 30th March the world will not stop, neither will business and even trade with the EU. Stopping all EU contributions from that day will focus a few minds on what needs to be urgently agreed. Some arrangements already are, so we carry on with those, then work on a good deal for the UK.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

5 minutes ago, Grouse said:

 

 

By all means leave but keep SM and CU (and other agreements such as Euratom, Galileo and security agreements). Maybe a leaver can explain precisely why that doesn't work for them?

1

too many monkey shoulders last night? hmm

 

Grouse, what you say may be a somewhat wiser way to proceed,

but it would require a whole new deal. Made up between now and Easter?

Doubt it would be feasible.

 

If all parties were interested? Dunno.

Would have to prolong A50 to the next MEP election,

then you would have February and March to do the work

 

the rest of the time for nitty gritty and sorting and formalities

 

you would also have to sort personality clashes EU-UK, new PM needed as a minimum.

 

I wouldn't wager a lot on this idea, even if possible in theory.

 

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

All this was predictable since a long time. May and her government delayed, delayed and delayed some more - in the stupid hope that would make more MPs agree. Stupid!

And where is Plan B and C and others? It's was obvious since forever that plan A won't work. But everybody avoided making any decent backup plans - amazing UK.

One would think that top politicians, who manage a country should do better than that. And that's a so called first world country...

Plan B is already in place .

The U.K is scheduled to leave the E.U with no deal .

Its enshrined in UK law and now the only way to stop the UK leaving with a deal , would be to change the UK law

7 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

too many monkey shoulders last night? hmm

 

Grouse, what you say may be a somewhat wiser way to proceed,

but it would require a whole new deal. Made up between now and Easter?

Doubt it would be feasible.

 

If all parties were interested? Dunno.

Would have to prolong A50 to the next MEP election,

then you would have February and March to do the work

 

the rest of the time for nitty gritty and sorting and formalities

 

you would also have to sort personality clashes EU-UK, new PM needed as a minimum.

 

I wouldn't wager a lot on this idea, even if possible in theory.

 

Currently we leave at end of March; that's law. However law may be changed by replacement with new law.

 

CONs will win the confidence vote which causes a problem for Corbyn. Good 

 

May should link with Labour moderates, Lib Dems and SNP to deliver my plan discussed above which is similar to N+

 

This could work and would split the CONs. Good. I hope LAB also splits.

 

Time for center to take the lead

 

Ill take abet on that!

 

Now let's see the leavers complain?

'Make Britain great again' sounds familiar.

https://www.economist.com/open-future/2019/01/15/the-dangerous-imperfections-of-a-three-way-vote

 

Interesting PoV from The Economist