Statement by Schulz president EU

[louisagradgrind]

He has said, according to BBC news that there will be 'Consequences' for GB so that other European countries will not follow example

What an organisation! Bullying, threatening. Big Brother. Dreadful megalomaniacs.

[UnmentionedElephantDildo]

"If you were expecting cricket, you were always going to be sadly disappointed."

No, it is far from a game to me.

A threatening tone is wrong. I am surprised at how many people thing it's OK. I thought the EU could do better than that. I am, I suppose, disappointed.

[chantico]

I don't think anyone expected the substance to be different.

But talk of consequences and repercussions is extremely undiplomatic language and an unusual (even brave) choice.

[Mistigri]

If a husband did this to a wife that wanted to leave a marriage, can you imagine the comments? LTB?

Tell that to Boris. If Boris and Gove had the balls, article 50 could have been triggered today. Now it's been kicked out to some time after September, and there are commentators who think it won't happen at all. Ever.

I think what we're seeing is manoeuvring for position for a long Cold War, in which the UK pretends that it is prepared to pull the trigger and the EU pretends that it will shoot back ...

[Fitzers]

I think what we're seeing is manoeuvring for position for a long Cold War, in which the UK pretends that it is prepared to pull the trigger and the EU pretends that it will shoot back

I don't think that's in either sides interests but I imagine economic factors will have a string influence

[Fitzers]

Strong not string

[Fitzers]

A threatening tone is wrong. I am surprised at how many people thing it's OK. I thought the EU could do better than that. I am, I suppose, disappointed.

You do realise the referendum result is basically a giant f-you to the EU? I think the reaction is quite moderate considering.

[JassyRadlett]

Not surprised at all that this is his attitude but rather surprised that he has shown his backside in this way by making it so public

Really? You mustn't have been paying very close attention during the campaign then, politician after politician made it clear that this would be their stance.

There are two factors here - first, the need to avoid contagion, the EU being an organisation with significant benefits to its members but those come with rules and coats. If the UK were to get all or most of the benefits after (further - sigh, we had such a good deal, what a waste) rejecting the costs, many others would also question whether they needed to pay the costs and it would get very messy. It's always been abundantly clearly that there could be no favours in the British terms of exit.

Second, we are about to enter a negotiation with them. Of course they are going to take a tough approach. They hold most of the cards and while there will probably be some concessions their goal will be to get the best possible deal for their members. The EU is not a charity and has no responsibility to a country that has rejected membership, in the process damaging the economies of the other members. Anyone who didn't expect EU members to play hardball with the exit negotiations was either wilfully naive or very distracted.

[queensansastark]

"Made an example off" sounds threatening to me.

[JassyRadlett]

Some other European cultures are a lot more blunt by nature than the British. They may not see it as a threat, just a simple statement of fact.

What use would a threat be at this point anyway? It's not going to change the result.

[Fitzers]

Let's face it the UK played hardball with the threat to leave, it's just time to call the bluff now.

[Cornishclio]

We've just told the EU we don't want to belong to their club any more so I expect they are a bit ticked off. We know they will make an example of us to stop contagion. We still need access to the single market or we can go down the long and arduous route of separate trade deals. What did you expect? They are hardly going to fall over themselves for us. This should not be a surprise as the remain side warned us.

[UnmentionedElephantDildo]

"You do realise the referendum result is basically a giant f-you to the EU? I think the reaction is quite moderate considering."

I don't see a wish to leave as an expletive. After all, the treaties foresaw this as a possibility. And it's not a reason to take a threatening tone.

(Especially as the fact the (now correctly) New Deal was drawn up in the knowledge there would be a referendum. There was an opportunity which, as German press reporting a week or so ago, was fumbled as there was talk of 'further concessions').

[fassone]

Britain: "I'm off, fuck you."
EU: "Don't let the door hit your arse on the way out."
Britain [walking straight into a wall] "Er, what'll I do now?"

[Fitzers]

Threatening tone, please, the U.K. has been the one using a threat for the last year plus. Now it is come to pass this is being ignored by those claiming the EU is the one being the bully

[MitzyLeFrouf]

I can see Leavers are getting into position to blame the other EU countries for any negative consequences of the mess we've created for ourselves. So predictable.

Indeed.

All this childish moaning from the Leave voters, well quite frankly it's embarrassing. Is this to be their trademark, wailing that everyone's being so very mean to them? How dull.

[RaarSaidTheLion]

Given your NN I'd have thought you would be more concerned with facts.