EU love- bombs UK for Brexit reversal

Strasbourg ( France), Jan. 16: European Union leaders love- bombed Britain on Tuesday, holding the door open for it to change its mind about ending its four- decade membership of the bloc next year.

EU President Donald Tusk told the European Parliament, “We on the continent haven’t had a change of heart. Our hearts are still open to you.”

Mr Tusk told members of the European Parliament that the UK would leave the bloc unless it had a “change of heart”.

“If the UK government sticks to its decision to leave, Brexit will become a reality with all its negative consequences in March next year, unless there is a change of heart among our British friends,” he said in a speech. The comments were welcomed by Labour and Lib Dem MPs who want a referendum on the final Brexit deal.

The comments by Mr Tusk, European Commission Jean- Claude Juncker and others weighed into a debate in Britain about holding a second Brexit referendum.

Leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage surprisingly pushed the issue back onto the agenda last week when he said he was increasingly open to the idea of a new vote.

The government, however, has said that there will be no second vote ahead of the UK’s exit in March 2019.

We on the continent haven’t had a change of heart. Our hearts are still open to you... — Donald Tusk,

EU prez