On SudRadio : “Should we keep the Brits in the EU?”

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The British have just obtained a new deadline for leaving the European Union. Should they be kept? This is the debate of the day with Véronique Jacquier in “Info vérité” on Sud Radio, on 11 April 2019.

With for guests:
– Jean Bizet, Senator LR de la Manche, Chairman of the Senate Committee on European Affairs;
– Geoffrey Bollée, Regional Councillor Les Patriotes d’Île-de-France;
– Yves Bertoncini, President of the European Movement – France;
– Catherine Mathieu, economist at the OFCE, specialist in the United Kingdom and European issues;
– Jeremy Stubbs, President of the “Conservatives Abroad – France” (French section of the Conservative Party).

The English will finally stay in the European Union for some time. Isn’t there only trouble negotiating a longer Brexit? “It’s like in a couple,” says Véronique Jacquier. The man says “I leave you”. Not only does he never leave, but as soon as he hears about divorce, he does everything to hang out in the apartment a little longer. The situation gets bogged down and sometimes divorce never happens! That’s what’s hanging over our heads with the English. It should have been cash. We should have been firm.”

A deeply divided society

More possible postponement would have been a signal to all European countries that might one day have the temptation to renew this British vaudeville. But Europeans have chosen to be accommodating! Only Emmanuel Macron really showed himself ready to push the British out, also ready to take on a Brexit without agreement. Finally, the English were granted additional time. “We keep them at home, but Europeans ask them for guarantees,” says Véronique Jacquier. In fact, we are obliged to keep them…”.

“We need certainty. Now we need to be clear,” says Jean Bizet, Senator LR de la Manche, Chairman of the Senate Committee on European Affairs. I would have been in favour of not granting any additional time. As for challenging their choice, the European Court of Justice has reached out to them. It has been made clear that they can unilaterally reverse their decision and trigger Article 50, but whether or not a new referendum is held, British society is deeply divided.

Sabotage from the inside?

By remaining in the European Union, can they harm European interests? “Yes, thinks Véronique Jacquier. But the 27 understood that it is necessary to have a coordinated Brexit, an amicable divorce rather than a sudden break-up. There are two reasons for this: the European elections are approaching and Parliament must do its job. With the decision taken at night, the British will therefore participate in the elections, with the United Kingdom being required to organise the European elections. Second reason: the economic consequences. For example, German Chancellor Angela Merkel feared the sudden return of tariffs between the United Kingdom and its neighbours.

“At home, in France, we also feared the chaos in our ports and the return of administrative formalities. So not everything is rosy, however, by keeping the English. The political leaders who support Brexit have already promised to sabotage the work of the future European Parliament from within.” In Great Britain, on the other hand, the postponement gives hope to half the country, which is Europhile. What if, in the end, a new referendum is held? “The English are capable of anything! Even when negotiating an amicable divorce, the temptation remains great to throw all the English out, so much they make us go mad…”