Verhofstadt says Brexit 'started as internal Tory party dispute'
The European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator urges the Government to think about the UK as a whole and begin negotiations.
Tuesday 13 June 2017 16:15, UK
The European Parliament's chief Brexit co-ordinator says the Tory government needs to realise leaving the EU affects the whole of the UK.
Guy Verhofstadt said he believes the move to quit the EU began as an internal dispute in the Conservative Party rather being about the UK leaving the bloc.
He said the UK Government now needs to work quickly if it wants to act in the interest of the whole country.
He told reporters: "I continue to believe... (Brexit) started, and it's still, an internal dispute in the Tory party.
"And it's time now to understand that it's not about the Tories leaving the European Union, it's about the UK leaving the European Union.
"And to take into account our positions (as fast as) possible so we can start these negotiations, because that's the will of the Europeans... the representatives of the European Union, to start (as fast) as possible these negotiations."
He told the news conference the position of the UK remained "unclear".
But he added that if the changed political make up of the UK Parliament meant that a softer Brexit was a possibility, the UK needed to understand there were some principles on which the EU would not bend.
He said: "It's unclear if the UK government will stick to the line that they have announced... or if they will change... taking into account the outcome of the election.
"As you know... from the side of the European Parliament, we have always welcomed a very close relationship in the future with the United Kingdom.
"We have even indicated in the resolution that we preferred a Norwegian-style relationship, or even a customs union...
"But we have also indicated that in such case we will not compromise and the European Union will never compromise on a number of conditions.
"And these conditions are clear: citizens first, the four freedoms... that are fully integrated in the single market, a fair financial settlement and... the respect for an effective legal framework in this."
His comments came after the European Commission's chief negotiator if it wastes more time.
Mr Barnier, whose department has spent months preparing for Brexit, said: "I can't negotiate with myself."
EC President Jean-Claude Juncker, when asked by Sky for his thoughts about the situation in Westminster, refused to comment.
Theresa May is due to travel to France later where she is expected to discuss Brexit as well as anti terrorism measures with Emmanuel Macron before going to an England-France international football match.
The Danish finance minister said earlier he hopes the UK election will mean a "time out, a pause" in the direction the UK was taking in Brexit talks.
Mark Stone has reported that the German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has said there would be an open door if the UK decided not to go ahead with Brexit and wanted to remain in the EU.
Meanwhile, Mr Verhofstadt also said in the news conference that Donald Trump's visit to Europe "was a disaster".
He said: "But it's not a good reaction now to think about what we need is economic sanctions. That is more or less economic suicide. We don't have an interest in a trade war. You don't fight against Trump with more Trump."