EU Chief Brexit Negotiator says “technically impossible” for new UK -EU trade deal within two years

Guy Verhofstadt MEP, the European Parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, speaks with UpFront:

Says a ‘Little Englander’ mentality could be a “good explanation” for why Brits voted for Brexit

Declares it “technically impossible” for the UK to have a new trade deal in place with the EU in two years’ time

 Suggests it’s “always possible” that the UK might rejoin the EU in the future and it could be a “little bit faster a process”

Describes Brexit and other political challenges to the EU - from Trump to Putin - as an “existential threat”

(Washington, D.C. – 27th, January) - In an interview with Al Jazeera English’s current affairs show, UpFront, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, speaks about Brexit, Britain and the challenges facing the European Union (EU).

 Asked about which issue drove 52% of Britons to vote for Brexit in June 2016, Verhofstadt replied: “Mainly the migration. It’s very clear.”

When asked by UpFront host Mehdi Hasan if xenophobia and specifically a Little Englander mentality explained the Brexit vote, the MEP and former Belgian prime minister responded, “That’s maybe a good explanation”.

During the interview, Verhofstadt was also asked whether it would be possible for the UK government to negotiate both Brexit and a new trade deal with the EU by 2019. 

“That’s technically impossible,” he said, referring to the timeline on a future trade agreement.

He also emphasized that whilst they are not looking for a punitive exercise, the EU parliament will want a fair and generous agreement, where “you can never have outside the European Union a better status than as member of the European Union”.

Verhofstadt also gave his thoughts on whether the UK could potentially re-enter the EU in the future under a different government. “That is always possible,” he said. “They can always reintroduce a request for membership of the European Union.”

“Certainly, we have enough experience to make it a little bit a faster process than what is normal,” he added.

The senior MEP and former Belgian prime minister also agreed that the numerous challenges facing the EU - the election of Donald Trump, the rise of Putin’s Russia, Brexit, and the fiscal and refugee crises - constitute an “existential threat” to the future of the union. 

Note to Editors

·       This UpFront interview with Guy Verhofstadt will be available through this link:www.aljazeera.com/upfront by Saturday 28th January.

·       More of the interview with Verhofstadt will air Friday 27th January at 19:30GMT

·       If using quotes please credit Al Jazeera English and UpFront and please add this link to online copywww.aljazeera.com/upfront

·       UpFront broadcasts on Fridays at 19:30 GMT. Follow UpFront on Twitter@AJUpFront