Britain to become "second rate" in the world after Brexit - EU's Tusk

 

FILE PHOTO: European Council President Donald Tusk looks on during a news conference in Brussels, Belgium, October 18, 2019. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo

 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain will lose influence in international affairs and become a "second-rate player" after it leaves the European Union, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday.

 

Backers of Britain's 2016 vote to exit the EU, the world's largest trading bloc, say that the country - the world's fifth largest economy - will achieve a new global status unshackled from EU rules and closer to the United States.

 

Tusk said only a united Europe could confront an assertive China and play an effective global role.

 

"I have heard repeatedly from Brexiteers that they wanted to leave the European Union to make the United Kingdom global again, believing that only alone, it can truly be great...," Tusk said in a speech at the College of Europe in the Belgian city of Bruges.

 

"But the reality is exactly the opposite. Only as part of a united Europe can the UK play a global role, only together can we confront, without any complexes, the greatest powers of this world. And the world knows it," said Tusk, who has chaired EU summits for the past five years and been an influential voice in European politics.

 

"I have heard the same in India, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and South Africa - that after its departure, the UK will become an outsider, a second-rate player."

 

Tusk has repeatedly voiced a wish for Britain to change its mind and stay in the EU. The former Polish prime minister will step down from his post on Dec. 1, handing over to former Belgian prime minister Charles Michel.

 

Britain is set to leave the bloc on Jan. 31, 2020, if British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wins a majority in next month's election and thereby secures parliamentary ratification of his EU withdrawal deal.

 

London remains a powerful financial centre and Britain has long been the United States' closest military ally.

 

But Britain's status as an influential power in the EU has also given it clout to diverge from Washington when it disagrees - something it has frequently done since U.S. President Donald Trump came to office.

 

Many Western diplomats believe Britain after Brexit must be careful not alienate itself from other friendly countries who have a more multilateral approach to world politics than Trump.

 

"'Why are they doing this?' – I was asked this regretful question everywhere I went", Tusk said. "One of my English friends is probably right when he says with melancholy that Brexit is the real end of the British Empire."

 

(Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-14

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More Project Nonsense from someone who has way more to worry about in his own backyard.

1 minute ago, Brigand said:

More Project Nonsense from someone who has way more to worry about in his own backyard.

So because you cant refute what he says you simply dismiss it.

After Brexit gets done you guys are going to have a lot of explaining to do. If any of you can be found that is.

13 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

So because you cant refute what he says you simply dismiss it.

After Brexit gets done you guys are going to have a lot of explaining to do. If any of you can be found that is.

what all 17.4 million of us

<deleted> Tusk..a nasty little man

regards Worgeordie

19 minutes ago, Brigand said:

More Project Nonsense from someone who has way more to worry about in his own backyard.

My god he's far from alone on that one !

What Tusk and his cronies are worried about is the UK leaving will be the start of  other countries  leaving.

Then his fat cushy number will disappear.

21 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

So because you cant refute what he says you simply dismiss it.

After Brexit gets done you guys are going to have a lot of explaining to do. If any of you can be found that is.

Talking about the end of the British Empire and becoming second rate hardly needs to be refuted, better to be second rate than stay in the hated anti democratic corrupt dictatorship of the EU.

sounds like bitter desperation to me

 

lets see how well his beloved power grabbing Federal EU Military Empire manages without one of its key members - it will implode 

 

They went too far, from a trading block (which was a good idea) to a power grabbing undemocratic power grabbing dictatorship run by Germany - no thanks

 

3rd attempt - failed

can’t be true.

 

although it is getting to be a bit of a police state... similar to the USA... that a significant cohort of British are not just literate, but read non fiction and some science stuff, Britain will always be first rate for as long as that matters or is still possible anywhere.
 

on Earth.  

 

duh.

 

[ on the police state comment.... I’m still a little miffed at Roger Hallam being picked up out of a cafe days ahead of the XR protest just because he pretended he was gonna fly a toy drone.... but only a tiny bit miffed ]

The truth

 

 

Tusks were declared illegal years ago. This guy should join the import ban list.

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

So because you cant refute what he says you simply dismiss it.

After Brexit gets done you guys are going to have a lot of explaining to do. If any of you can be found that is.

With the EU's undeniable economic engine of Germany sputtering and misfiring on the cusp of recession, I would not have expected any less from the mouth of an outgoing Eurocrat.

Better second rate than a third rate EU member.

His 'special place in hell' springs to mind.

In the EU, Germany, France and the UK are the only players worth mentioning.

All the other countries are economic disaster zones waiting to collapse.

Can't help thinking they need the UK to stay in and support all the losers.

 

Not that Brexit is ever going to be allowed to happen.

There'll be loads more talk, and delays, and votes, until it's all forgotten.

"Will become" ? I thought it already was!

Tusk just reeks of bitterness. Every time I see his hate filled face lisp its way through another angry speech about Brexit it brings a smile to my face that he will no longer have control over my country.

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

what all 17.4 million of us

A lot of those have died from old age since 2016 and many have changed their minds. 

16 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In the EU, Germany, France and the UK are the only players worth mentioning.

All the other countries are economic disaster zones waiting to collapse.

Can't help thinking they need the UK to stay in and support all the losers.

 

Not that Brexit is ever going to be allowed to happen.

There'll be loads more talk, and delays, and votes, until it's all forgotten.

Hope you're right. 

26 minutes ago, Denim said:

Better second rate than a third rate EU member.

Not if you're alone trying to strike deals with bigger economies. Then you're seriously disadvantaged.

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

What Tusk and his cronies are worried about is the UK leaving will be the start of  other countries  leaving.

Then his fat cushy number will disappear.

 

When these countries see what will happen with the UK I am sure they will have no wish to leave.

 

For a while I tried to understand the proponents of a Brexit. I mainly see a wish to go back to the past. Everything used to be better. But those people don't understand that the world has changed.

 

I am Dutch. We used to own half of the world. New York was Dutch. We owned countries in South America and Indonesia was ours. We won almost all wars. My small country was a world power.

 

And what is it now? We are a small dot on the globe. Most countries are more a threat than an ally. Do you really think that we would have a good negotiating position with the US or China when talking about trade? They will only laugh at us. The idea that we can achieve more independently than in a partnership is absurd.

 

I think the UK over estimates their strength and possibilities. I am curious to see what will happen.

 

 

30 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In the EU, Germany, France and the UK are the only players worth mentioning.

All the other countries are economic disaster zones waiting to collapse.

 

 

I am 100% sure that NL is doing much better than the UK economically.

 

What is left of the UK?  Maybe we can talk about car manufacturers?  I have been to the UK several times. I was often shocked by the mess I found there. In many ways it seems like a third world country.

 

And yes, I know. The center of London looks nice. But when you leave that, you see the desolate mess, the economic downturn and misery.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"I have heard repeatedly from Brexiteers that they wanted to leave the European Union to make the United Kingdom global again, believing that only alone, it can truly be great...," Tusk said in a speech at the College of Europe in the Belgian city of Bruges.

"But the reality is exactly the opposite.

9 minutes ago, dimitriv said:

 

I am 100% sure that NL is doing much better than the UK economically.

 

What is left of the UK?  Maybe we can talk about car manufacturers?  I have been to the UK several times. I was often shocked by the mess I found there. In many ways it seems like a third world country.

 

And yes, I know. The center of London looks nice. But when you leave that, you see the desolate mess, the economic downturn and misery.

 

 

 

I agree. The industrial and post-industrial areas are a mess. The UK's image is based on London and picture post villages and rolling southern hills, something 90% of the country can only afford to watch on TV.

The UK/England has been a second-rate country for a long time, they just refuse to accept/admit it. What exactly does England do for or offer the world, one of the primary money-washing centers for Russians, etc., along with Trump and his real estate.

Perhaps Boris could copy Thailand and reinvigorate and revamp the tourism industry to strengthen the pound. With climate warming in the offing, and with Bangkok under water, the UK could be an ideal haven. Apart from Doncaster, that is...

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

What Tusk and his cronies are worried about is the UK leaving will be the start of  other countries  leaving.

Then his fat cushy number will disappear.

The eu gravy trains going to hit the buffers

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

Tusks were declared illegal years ago. This guy should join the import ban list.

He needs a tusk,straight up his harris

34 minutes ago, GalaxyMan said:

The UK/England has been a second-rate country for a long time, they just refuse to accept/admit it. What exactly does England do for or offer the world, one of the primary money-washing centers for Russians, etc., along with Trump and his real estate.

Seems the economic migrants who trek three thousand miles across Europe to seek asylum in the uk would beg  to differ with you.