Donald Tusk Says He "Dreams" The UK Might Reverse Brexit

16 April 2019, 09:04 | Updated: 16 April 2019, 09:05

EU Council President Donald Tusk has called for the "dream" that Britain might give up Brexit not to be dismissed.

Updating EU MEPs on the progress being made on Brexit, Mr Tusk urged politicians on both sides of the channel not to let exhaustion with negotiations make for a hasty exit.

“I know that, on both sides of the Channel, everyone, including myself, is exhausted with Brexit, which is completely understandable. However, this is not an excuse to say: 'let’s get it over with', just because we’re tired.”

Donald Tusk has said he still “dreams” of the UK reversing Brexit after EU27 leaders gave Britain an extra six months to agree the terms of its Brexit deal.

Last week, EU leaders voted to extend the Article 50 negotiations until October 31, allowing the UK to exit the bloc if the government can pass a withdrawal deal through the House of Commons.

Tusk said he hopes the UK will use this time in the best possible way, and that the European Council is awaiting a clear message from the UK on the way forward.

If Theresa May cannot get a deal through Parliament in time the UK will have to hold EU elections next month. Mr Tusk told the EU Parliament that British MEPs would be " full Members of the Parliament, with all their rights and obligations."

Tusk said: "At this rather difficult moment in our history, we need dreamers and dreams. We cannot give in to fatalism. At least I will not stop dreaming about a better and united Europe."

"I am speaking about this today because I have strongly opposed the idea that during this further extension, the UK should be treated as a second-category member state," said Mr Tusk.