Blair urges Germany to help foil Brexit
TONY BLAIR stepped up his battle to thwart Brexit yesterday by urging Germany to do everything possible to stop it.
The former Prime Minister urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel to prevent the UK from leaving the EU.
With less than a year to go until the formal Brexit date, Mr Blair warned: ‘It would be a mistake of historic proportions… Europe, especially Germany, has a lot to lose. It is in all our interests to maintain barrier-free trade across the Continent and to hold liberal democracies together at a time of authoritarian resurgence.’
He added: ‘Germany should do what it can to keep the UK in the EU. The most important thing is to leave the door wide open if the British people decide to reverse their decision by a vote on the outcome of the negotiations.’
He said Germany could play a key role in reversing the decision to quit if it joined forces with France to push for European reforms that may appeal to British voters.
Mr Blair said: ‘I very much hope the new German and French governments will take a leading role in spearheading ambitious reforms of the EU.’
He said such reforms should ‘meet people’s concerns while also preserving Europe’s values’.
Mrs Merkel has previously described Brexit as ‘deplorable’ but admitted the EU wanted a close partnership with Britain in the future.