Brexit: you can't have a better deal outside the EU than in

“Our message is clear: we first negotiate the divorce, then we talk about the future Treaty; we need to put an end to the uncertainty in which citizens concerned are living. And finally, the Northern Ireland question is important”, said Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, during the debate on Brexit in the European Parliament today. "We want the United Kingdom to stay as our partner and friend. But the negotiations will be tough."

“I fear that London wants to take the positive points of being a member of the European Union and leave the negative ones aside. This will not work. But what does it mean to leave the European Union?” he asked. “It means that a country that has decided to leave the European Union cannot have a better deal than a Member State of the European Union. On security, you cannot be part of Europol and benefit from the Schengen Information System. On research, you cannot take part in EU-funded programmes of cooperation between universities. On trade, you cannot benefit from the Single Market . Cherry-picking will not happen.”

“To our Irish and Spanish friends, I want to say: you are not alone. You will have the benefit of the EU27 sticking together as a European family to help you deal with London. We are ready, we can start the negotiations. I hope that after the vote we can say that we are united”, Manfred Weber concluded.