Source: The Telegraph — In Brussels, they have been ready to say goodbye to Britain for a long time. Britain had been half-way out the door for forty years. David Cameron had announced this referendum in January 2013. He had won an election on the back of it, and many expected him to lose it. He, and they, repeated many times that it was final and binding.
Some EU officials have demanded Article 50 is activated immediately, to create certainty. Realistically, Mr Cameron has until Christmas.
The European Council has offered a narrow window, saying that Britain has not left until Article 50 is activated formally by the Prime Minister, “if it is indeed the intention of the British government.”
Mr Cameron has left it to his successor to activate it. Mrs Merkel is in no hurry. Senior EU sources say they can wait until Christmas, but prevarication would trash Britain’s credit-worthiness.
There are two problems. Firstly, to not activate Article 50 would be a rejection of democracy on a scale that could only be described as a coup, and would poison British public life for generations.
Leaders anticipated that Boris Johnson would pursue a ‘vote leave for a better deal’ strategy, and ruled it out from February, precisely to prevent this scenario.
Jean-Claude Juncker said on Friday: “The repercussions of the British referendum could quickly put a stop to such crass rabble-rousing, as it should soon become clear that the UK was better off inside the EU.” Britain simply has to go, on bad terms, pour encourager les autres. Britain’s departure was “not an amicable divorce” and talks should begin “immediately” on wrapping up what was never “a tight love affair”.
In European eyes, David Cameron has had a remarkably generous lot: already out the euro, ever closer union, justice and home affairs obligations and Schengen, he was offered an enhanced deal that confirmed the perks of membership with scant obligations.
Yet he attacked Brussels for years for domestic advantage. Mr Cameron campaigned hard against Junker’s appointment. Stories about Mr Juncker’s alleged drinking and the war record of his father, a conscript in the Wehrmacht, emerged. Yet Juncker offered an olive branch by giving Jonathan Hill the financial services portfolio Mr Cameron craved, in order to preserve the City. He is profoundly angry.
EurActiv.com –Cameron on Juncker’s nomination in 2014: A bad day for Europe
In his brutal negotiation, Alexis Tsipras had a number of cards to play. There was the “solidarity” that EU states are obliged to show each other, the pity and guilt at the plight of the Greek people who had been punished through no fault of their own, and the €83 billion of German taxpayer cash in Greek banks that risked going up in smoke. Mr Juncker said: Greeks made plain they wanted to remain Europeans.
No such goodwill exists for Britain the Telegraph writes (as if any existed in the the treatment of Greece). Mr Johnson, the possible next prime minister, caused genuine and grave offence by likening the European project to the ambitions of Hitler. His declarations that Brexit will trigger events that unravel the entire project is, in effect, a declaration of war that must be met.
Goodwill for Greece? – What Junker really said before the Greek referendum – “It’s the moment of truth … I’d like to ask the Greek people to vote yes … No would mean that Greece is saying no to Europe.”
Junker, a staunch critic of the current Greek government and its policies, in the aftermath of the referendum (MO wan with 61% of the vote) delivered a speech saying that it was not clear what the Greeks voted on during the Sunday referendum as the question raised was not “legitimate.”
“The question that was put to the Greek people is about something that doesn’t exist,” he said.
“It’s not a ‘No’ to Europe, It’s not a ‘No’ to the euro. It cannot be a ‘No’ to the proposals of the institutions, because they were not on the table,” he added.
Recall how inflexible European leaders were during Mr Cameron’s attempted renegotiation, when he put a gun to their heads and threatened to leave unless they submitted to his demands. He has fired that gun in the air, and locked himself out the room. Britain’s only leverage is how much damage a messy Brexit would inflict on European economies.
A ban issued from Downing Street on Brexit preparations – lest it boost the leave campaign – meant Britain’s most senior officials were permitted to “think” about a Brexit, but not allowed to write anything down.
Despite suggestions that other EU countries could try to “punish” the UK for daring to leave, Angela Merkel insisted it would benefit no one and there was no need “to be nasty”. She told a news conference on Friday:
“The negotiations must take place in a businesslike, good climate. Britain will remain a close partner, with which we are linked economically.”
The Express reported Sunday the Dutch Socialist Party politician Harry van Bommel saying the Netherlands would immediately demand the same deal that David Cameron received in negotiations before the referendum.
He said: “Britain’s decision offers opportunities for parties like my party who want to make drastic changes to the EU.
“It is time for our government to put demands and bring back power to the nations.
“We want to abolish the European Commission which acts like it’s Europe’s government. Commissioners exist to find solutions for problems that aren’t there, while failing to solve real problems like the refugee crisis and international terrorism.
“Meanwhile, our small enterprises are shackled by regulations from Brussels, Europe is demanding severe cuts in welfare and pensions. It interferes in the wrong issues.”
Edited. Additional material: euractiv, BBC, The Guardian, The Express
