European Union leaders said there could be no turning back for the U.K. after Prime Minister David Cameron used his last EU summit to express disappointment at his failure to win the referendum he called on Britain’s membership Bloomberg reports.
“As of this evening, I see no way back from the Brexit vote,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is beginning to harden her attitude towards Britain, told reporters after the meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. “This is no time for wishful thinking, but rather to grasp reality.” She added that there was no going back on the U.K.’s decision to leave the bloc as the British people’s decision was irreversible.
It is perhaps worth remembering that Mrs Merkel did not have the same respect for democracy over a year ago when the Greek government was forced to reverse the referendum decision of the Greek electorate.
Fellow government chiefs lined up to warn Cameron that delaying the period before the U.K formally activates the EU’s exit mechanism will prevent the start of negotiations over any future relationship. The prime minister repeated the message he’d given back home: despite the uncertainty it’s causing, that will be the job for his successor.
The German chancellor sees as her job to protect Europe from breaking up and it seems that forcing Britain to rush into a a deal that would destabilise the British economy as much as possible – without causing too much damage to the German economy – would be the preferred outcome for the Chancellor.
The worst possible scenario for Europe would be for a Britain outside the EU to outperform EU economies. That would be the incentive that would lead other countries to seek exit from the EU. So nobody expects the European establishment to be overtly generous with any future British government.
As well as dashing lingering hopes among some in the U.K. that the referendum result can be somehow overturned, leaders rebutted claims from pro-Brexit campaigners about the nation’s future relationship with the bloc. Several government chiefs insisted the U.K. cannot expect a favourable treatment from the EU once it’s no longer a member.
“The U.K. won’t be able to access the single market without applying the rules of freedom of movement,” French President Francois Hollande said. “This isn’t to punish the British people,” but following the referendum “they will have to face the consequences for some time.”
“If someone from the Remain camp will become British prime minister, this has to be done in two weeks after his appointment,” Juncker told reporters as the meeting ended. “If the next British PM is coming from the Leave campaign, it should be done the day after his appointment.”
Despite the hard talk, neither Germany not the EU leaders have the power to force Britain into an early decision through turning off the countries credit line and collapsing the banking system as they did with Greece. The are relying on the money markets and the destabilising effects of the political uncertainty that exists within Britain.
EU President Donald Tusk, who co-ordinates summits, said the 27 leaders minus Cameron would meanwhile meet Wednesday to undertake “deeper reflection” on a “new impulse for Europe.” He said he plans to call another meeting of the 27 in September.
Bloomberg – edited YXamonakis
