26 July 2018•Update: 26 July 2018
By Muhammad Mussa
LONDON
The French Europe minister has said that it is not too late for the U.K. to change its mind on leaving the European Union.
Speaking on the BBC Radio’s The Today Programme, Nathalie Loiseau said if the U.K. voted in a 2nd referendum to remain in the EU, the bloc would not object to the result.
“We have always said, always, that the door would remain open and that we were not the ones who wanted to diverge from the United Kingdom,” Loiseau said. “It was the British people who decided to leave the European Union”.
When asked if this meant the U.K. would remain “on the same terms” as before, Loiseau said: “Sure, of course. Like every single member state of the European Union, we have one conviction, which is that the best possible status is being a member, the most profitable status.”
Loiseau stated how a no-deal scenario would be bad for Europe as well as for the U.K. However, she said the EU also believed that a no-deal would be better than a bad deal.
“We would all suffer, the worst would be for the United Kingdom but we get prepared for a no-deal because until now we have seen no significant progress regarding the withdrawal agreement which would relieve us from this concern that there could be a no-deal,” Loiseau said.
“It’s among the bad solutions but I should say that no-deal is not as bad as a bad deal for the European Union as well,” she added, citing the views of the remaining 27 members of the EU.
Loiseau’s comments on the open door policy of the EU will be good news for campaigners and supporters of a second referendum, or “People’s Vote.”
In recent months there have been growing calls for a second referendum and momentum for a ”People’s Vote” has been steadily growing.
Senior politicians such as Anna Soubry, former cabinet minister; Chuka Ummuna, Labour MP; and Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democratic party, have backed calls for a second referendum if and when a deal is secured by London and Brussels.
Other public figures calling for a “People’s Vote” include former football star, Gary Lineker who has voiced strong support for the campaign to remain in the EU and his opposition to Brexit and the way the Government is handling the negotiations.
Early this month, Theresa May formalized her Brexit plan, known as the Chequers Plan, that would see the U.K. follow a “common rule book” with the EU on trade, while ending the freedom of movement of labour.
May’s Chequers Plan has been met with fierce criticism, with senior ministers resigning from her cabinet and the EU calling her plan inadequate and unworkable.
