Dailly Record — Greek Prime Minister has blamed Tory cuts for Britain’s shock vote to leave the European Union.
Alexis Tsipras said the Brexit result should act as an “alarm call” for all European governments embracing austerity.
His views echo those of political observers who noted how areas of the north of England scarred by massive loss of industry returned a high vote for Leave on June 23.
They said frustration with high unemployment and cuts to public services were a key reason for the wave of anti-EU feeling.
Feeling against the EU has also been on the rise in Greece since a crushing round of pension cuts and tax rises was forced on the country last year as part of a bailout deal from the eurozone.
Tsipras, the leader of Syriza, said: “I think that Brexit shows that Syriza and the left forces in Europe are not the fear for Europe.
“In the very beginning two years ago, a lot of people in Europe and, of course, the political establishment, believed that Syriza was the fear for Europe.
“But Syriza and the left forces want to change Europe and the extreme right forces in Europe want to destroy Europe.”
He organised a meeting of the Mediterranean EU countries last month at which the leaders agreed the Brexit vote should be “respected” and a deal should be done to keep the UK a “close partner” of the EU.
Tsipras said: “We have not only to discuss but to take decisions.
For me the summit of the EU Mediterranean countries was very important to contribute to these discussions. Europe is not only the northern countries.
It is not just cooperation between France and Germany but Europe is also the countries of the periphery and especially the southern periphery.”
Asked about Nicola Sturgeon’s bid to keep Scotland in the EU, the Greek PM declined to comment on the issue directly.
