Hard Brexit or no Brexit for Britain: Donald Tusk

Britain faces the choice of either a hard Brexit or no Brexit, European Council President Donald Tusk has said.

Speaking in Brussels, he warned that the EU (European Union) would not compromise on its insistence that freedom of movement will be a condition for Britain's access to the single market, BBC reported on Thursday.

Tusk will chair meetings of EU leaders negotiating Britain's exit from the 28-member bloc.

In a 52 per cent-48 per cent vote in June's referendum, Britain decided to leave the EU.

Prime Minister Theresa May said last week that the government would trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty - beginning formal negotiations between the Britain and EU - by the end of March next year.

Just hours after the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, had told a committee of MPs he was confident Britain could strike a better trade deal with the EU after Brexit, Tusk used a speech in Brussels to scotch the idea that Britain can "have its cake and eat it", The Guardian reported.

"That was pure illusion, that one can have the EU cake and eat it too. To all who believe in it, I propose a simple experiment. Buy a cake, eat it, and see if it is still there on the plate."

--IANS

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