European leaders see something positive in UK’s departure

The president of the European Council has said there is something “positive in Brexit”, while the head of the European Commission said it is “business as usual”.

Council chief Donald Tusk said the process of the UK leaving the EU would make the remaining 27 countries “more determined and more united”.

While Commission leader Jean-Claude Juncker said Brexit should be seen as a “new beginning” for the bloc.

The pair were speaking during a congress in Malta after the handover of the Article 50 letter on Wednesday to fire the starting gun on the UK’s departure.

Mr Tusk said: “Yesterday, right after receiving the letter from Prime Minister Theresa May invoking Article 50, I said that paradoxically there’s also something positive in Brexit.

“Brexit has made us, the community of 27, more determined and more united than before.”

Mr Juncker said: “Brexit isn’t the end.

“A lot of people would like it that way – even people on another continent where the newly-elected US President was happy that Brexit was taking place and has asked other countries to do the same.

“If he goes on like that, I am going to promote the independence of Ohio and Austin, Texas, in the United States.

“It’s business as usual in Europe.

“We must continue, we must forge ahead.”

European Council president Donald Tusk.