Outcome is up to UK, but Tusk suggests no Brexit may be an option
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European Council president Donald Tusk has suggested there are three possible outcomes to Brexit negotiations, while firmly putting the ball back in the UK’s court with regards to reaching a satisfactory resolution.
Reporting back to MEPs on last week’s EU summit, Tusk stressed the need for EU unity during negotiations, and even suggested that Brexit may not happen.
“It is in fact up to London how this will end, with a good deal, no deal or no Brexit,” Tusk said. “We have managed to build and maintain unity among the 27 but ahead of us is still the toughest stress test. If we fail it the negotiations will end in our defeat.”
EU27 must keep unity regardless of direction of talks. In fact up to London how this will end: with a good deal, no deal or no #Brexit.
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) October 24, 2017
Tusk’s comments follow last week’s EU summit where leaders of the 27 member states agreed that not enough progress had been made to move on to phase two of negotiations, what a future trading relationship between the UK and the bloc might look like.
His remarks were seized upon in the UK by pro-remain figures, including Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable who said in a statement, “I welcome Donald Tusk’s comments in the European parliament. No matter what Theresa May says there are still three options on the table. No deal, a deal, or no Brexit. The EU have confirmed what we have been saying all along, if Brexit looks like a disaster we can call the whole thing off.”
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LibDems</a> are offering an exit from Brexit by giving people a vote on final deal <a href="https://t.co/admYwi6yfY">https://t.co/admYwi6yfY</a></p>— Vince Cable (vincecable) October 24, 2017