BREXIT FALLOUT IN THE ‘DISUNITED KINGDOM’

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron used his weekly question time in Parliament to heap further pressure on opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, demanding that he step down after the bulk of Labour Party legislators passed a motion of no confidence in their embattled chief. “It might be in my party’s interest for him to sit there,” Cameron told the House of Commons. “It’s not in the national interest. And I would say: for heaven’s sake man, go!” Corbyn is refusing to step down, saying the grassroots of the party is behind him, despite losing the no-confidence motion 172 votes to 40.

EU SETS OUT CONDITIONS

European Union leaders drew a stark line along the British Channel on Wednesday, telling the U.K. that it cannot keep valuable business links with its former continental partners in a seamless single EU market, if it doesn’t also accept European workers. Meeting for the first time without the U.K., the 27 other EU nations set out a united strategy to face the next British government, which will seek to salvage as many of the EU rights as possible. They emerged from the summit insisting that the “four freedoms” central to European unity are indivisible: the free movement of people, services, goods and finances. The leaders sought to dispel any notion that the referendum will amount to their Waterloo. “With a disunited United Kingdom, we need a united Europe more than ever,” Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said.

SCOTLAND GETS A HEARING

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker gave Scotland a chance to set out its position after voting to remain in the EU. “Scotland won the right to be heard in Brussels,” Juncker said before a meeting with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Wednesday. He said, though, the EU has no “intention to interfere in the British process.” Sturgeon also met with European Parliament President Martin Schulz. “It was a good opportunity for me to set out Scotland’s position and Scotland’s desire to remain within the European Union and to protect our relationship with the European Union,” Sturgeon said.

TORIES VIE FOR LEADERSHIP

Conservative Party contenders began to emerge Wednesday to replace Cameron. The first to make it official was Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, who said he was running because “I don’t see anybody who provides a compelling answer” to the question of how to heal a deeply divided nation. Front-runner Boris Johnson, who led the “leave” side in the referendum, has the support of several senior Tory politicians. Home Secretary Theresa May is also expected to run. Nominations are to close on Thursday.