Eight EU Prime Ministers back second Brexit referendum call
2 min read
Prime Ministers from across the EU have backed a call for a second referendum on Brexit.
Eight leaders including Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel issued a joint statement backing the Liberal Democrats in their quest for a vote on the final deal.
Lib Dem leader Vince Cable said the call showed EU figures “would welcome an exit from Brexit with open arms”.
Other prime ministers on the list include Andrej Babiš of the Czech Republic, Xavier Bettel of Luxembourg, Miro Cerar of Slovenia, Lars Løkke Rasmussen of Denmark, Jüri Ratas of Estonia and Juha Sipilä of Finland.
They said: “We regret Brexit, but acknowledge the choice made by British voters for the UK government to negotiate withdrawal.
“We further acknowledge and support the Liberal Democrats’ call for the British people to have the final say on the Brexit deal.”
They added: “All parties need to seek a broad deal accommodating both the position of the UK government and the principles on which the European Union is built.”
The statement came after the PMs shared a working lunch with Mr Cable in Brussels.
The Lib Dem boss said: “This is a clear signal from our European friends that they want us to remain in the European Union and would welcome an exit from Brexit with open arms.
“Polls show there is a growing desire among the British public for a vote on the terms of the deal.
“People can now be reassured that there is no desire among EU leaders to punish us if we decided to remain in the bloc.”
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