The president of the EU parliament, Martin Schulz, has given an interview to The Guardian (HERE) and offers a more conciliatory tone to the UK which I think will be welcomed. However, he reminds the government that they have to consider the EU parliament because they must approve any deal. I assume this means if we drag our feet or try to blackmail the EU there may be difficulties ahead.
He also hits the nail on the head as far as the referendum is concerned. In the interview he is reported as saying:
The EU for its part can never be the same again. We must learn from the result of the referendum, while on the other hand not over-interpreting it. For decades the UK tabloids have performed mass brainwashing, and the leave campaign force-fed their readers with intolerance of foreigners. No change to the EU will convince those who have fallen victim to these factors. A bonfire of the EU is therefore not the way forwards.
However, many who voted leave did so because they have been left behind. They want to turn the clock back to a time when they were not marginalised. This profile is common across Europe, and deserves our full attention. The EU is not the cause of their marginalisation, but it can be part of the solution.
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