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| French minister urges Cameron to step down as soon as possible | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| European Union governments have piled pressure on Britain to leave the bloc quickly, saying talks on the UK’s exit must begin urgently and appearing to expect David Cameron to step down earlier than he plans. | |
| As Europe scrambled on Saturday to respond to the momentous Brexit vote, foreign ministers from the EU’s six founding members states meeting in emergency session in Berlin demanded the earliest possible start to the Brexit process. | As Europe scrambled on Saturday to respond to the momentous Brexit vote, foreign ministers from the EU’s six founding members states meeting in emergency session in Berlin demanded the earliest possible start to the Brexit process. |
| France’s foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, said Britain “must trigger” article 50 – the procedure for leaving the EU, adding: “A new prime minister has to be appointed; that will take a few days.” | |
| It would “not be respectful” for Britain to delay the process, Ayrault said. “It’s a question of respect.” On Friday, Cameron said he would delay the start of Brexit negotiations until his successor as prime minister is in place in the autumn. | |
| There is “a certain urgency”, Ayrault added after the meeting with his counterparts from Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Luxembourg, warning of “financial consequences, political consequences ... We must avoid a long period of uncertainty.” | |
| The German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who convened the talks, said negotiations on Britain’s exit should begin “as soon as possible”, adding that “intensive European discussions” were also needed. | The German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who convened the talks, said negotiations on Britain’s exit should begin “as soon as possible”, adding that “intensive European discussions” were also needed. |
| Steinmeier said Cameron had a “responsibility beyond the UK” to initiative formal steps for Britain’s exit and “give us a chance to engage with the European Union’s future”. | |
| “We call on Britain to trigger article 50 as soon as possible so we don’t get stuck in a deadlocked situation”, he told a press conference outside the German foreign ministry guest house in the outskirts of Berlin. | |
| Luxembourg’s foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, said waiting for Cameron’s successor to trigger article 50 in October could mean that those four months turned into “a period of insecurity”. “I hope we won’t get into a cat and mouse game over this – that would neither be fitting for Britain nor the European Union.” | |
| “We have to turn the page, we don’t want to create a vaccum”, said Dutch foreign minister Bert Koenders. “It won’t be business as usual.” | |
| Related: EU referendum: Pro-Brexit MEP admits free movement of labour may not end – live | Related: EU referendum: Pro-Brexit MEP admits free movement of labour may not end – live |
| Steinmeier said going into the talks that the EU “must listen to the expectations of the European governments, but also of the people”. Europe “must not rush headlong into hectic action, pretending we had all the answers,” he said. “But we must also not fall into depression or inaction after the British decision.” | Steinmeier said going into the talks that the EU “must listen to the expectations of the European governments, but also of the people”. Europe “must not rush headlong into hectic action, pretending we had all the answers,” he said. “But we must also not fall into depression or inaction after the British decision.” |
| Ayrault said he and Steinmeier, whose countries have long been the motor of European integration, were working on joint proposals to deepen cooperation among EU members that use the euro currency, and to strengthen security and defence cooperation. | Ayrault said he and Steinmeier, whose countries have long been the motor of European integration, were working on joint proposals to deepen cooperation among EU members that use the euro currency, and to strengthen security and defence cooperation. |
| Italy’s prime minister, Matteo Renzi, was flying to Paris for an informal dinner with the French president, François Hollande, to discuss the fallout from Thursday’s vote, which sent the pound plunging to its lowest level since 1985 and wiped more than $2tn of value from world stock markets. | Italy’s prime minister, Matteo Renzi, was flying to Paris for an informal dinner with the French president, François Hollande, to discuss the fallout from Thursday’s vote, which sent the pound plunging to its lowest level since 1985 and wiped more than $2tn of value from world stock markets. |
| After a meeting with the UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, on Saturday, Hollande vowed to maintain relations with the UK on military and economic matters – and particularly on migration – but admitted that the Brexit vote posed questions “for the entire planet – what will happen?”. | After a meeting with the UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, on Saturday, Hollande vowed to maintain relations with the UK on military and economic matters – and particularly on migration – but admitted that the Brexit vote posed questions “for the entire planet – what will happen?”. |
| The flurry of diplomatic activity comes ahead of a key meeting in Berlin on Monday between the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, Hollande and Renzi, as well as the president of the European council, Donald Tusk. | The flurry of diplomatic activity comes ahead of a key meeting in Berlin on Monday between the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, Hollande and Renzi, as well as the president of the European council, Donald Tusk. |
| The EU’s 28 commissioners, including the UK’s Jonathan Hill, are also due to meet in Brussels on Monday, with a two-day summit of national leaders following on Tuesday and Wednesday. | The EU’s 28 commissioners, including the UK’s Jonathan Hill, are also due to meet in Brussels on Monday, with a two-day summit of national leaders following on Tuesday and Wednesday. |
| Cameron will attend the first day of the summit and is expected to explain Britain’s position at a dinner on Tuesday evening. But he will then return to London and will not take part in the second day of the proceedings, according to Tusk’s invitation letter released on Friday night. | Cameron will attend the first day of the summit and is expected to explain Britain’s position at a dinner on Tuesday evening. But he will then return to London and will not take part in the second day of the proceedings, according to Tusk’s invitation letter released on Friday night. |
| The talks come after the president of the European parliament, Martin Schulz, confirmed the bloc wanted Britain out as soon as possible and warned that Cameron’s timescale may not be fast enough. | The talks come after the president of the European parliament, Martin Schulz, confirmed the bloc wanted Britain out as soon as possible and warned that Cameron’s timescale may not be fast enough. |
| Schulz told the Guardian that EU lawyers were studying whether it was possible to speed up the triggering of article 50 of the Lisbon treaty – the untested procedure for leaving the union. | Schulz told the Guardian that EU lawyers were studying whether it was possible to speed up the triggering of article 50 of the Lisbon treaty – the untested procedure for leaving the union. |
| He said it was difficult to accept that “a whole continent is taken hostage because of an internal fight in the Tory party”, adding that he doubted the timing of article 50 was down to the UK alone. He said: “We have to take note of this unilateral declaration that they want to wait until October, but that must not be the last word.” | He said it was difficult to accept that “a whole continent is taken hostage because of an internal fight in the Tory party”, adding that he doubted the timing of article 50 was down to the UK alone. He said: “We have to take note of this unilateral declaration that they want to wait until October, but that must not be the last word.” |
| Schulz’s comments were partially echoed by the president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who said there was no reason to wait until October to begin negotiating Britain’s departure. | Schulz’s comments were partially echoed by the president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who said there was no reason to wait until October to begin negotiating Britain’s departure. |
| “Britons decided yesterday that they want to leave the European Union, so it doesn’t make any sense to wait until October to try to negotiate the terms of their departure,” Juncker told Germany’s ARD television station. “I would like to get started immediately.” | “Britons decided yesterday that they want to leave the European Union, so it doesn’t make any sense to wait until October to try to negotiate the terms of their departure,” Juncker told Germany’s ARD television station. “I would like to get started immediately.” |
| With anti-European sentiment on the rise across the continent, national governments outside Europe’s capital sought urgently to prevent any contagion from the UK vote, urging swift reforms to the 60-year-old bloc. Calls for similar referendums were made in France, the Netherlands and Sweden. | With anti-European sentiment on the rise across the continent, national governments outside Europe’s capital sought urgently to prevent any contagion from the UK vote, urging swift reforms to the 60-year-old bloc. Calls for similar referendums were made in France, the Netherlands and Sweden. |
| Cameron said in his resignation speech on Friday that it would be up to his successor – expected to be appointed before the Conservative party conference in October – to trigger article 50. Once that is done, the clock starts running on two years of negotiations. | Cameron said in his resignation speech on Friday that it would be up to his successor – expected to be appointed before the Conservative party conference in October – to trigger article 50. Once that is done, the clock starts running on two years of negotiations. |
| Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London and a leading leave campaigner, said there should be “no haste” in the preparations for the exit of Britain, the first sovereign country to vote to leave the union. | Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London and a leading leave campaigner, said there should be “no haste” in the preparations for the exit of Britain, the first sovereign country to vote to leave the union. |
| Tusk said the 27 remaining members of the bloc would meet next week to assess its future without Britain. “It is a historic moment, but not a moment for hysterical reactions,” he said. | Tusk said the 27 remaining members of the bloc would meet next week to assess its future without Britain. “It is a historic moment, but not a moment for hysterical reactions,” he said. |
| In Berlin, Merkel, expressed “great regret” at Britain’s decision, but said the EU should not draw “quick and simple conclusions” that might create new and deeper divisions. | In Berlin, Merkel, expressed “great regret” at Britain’s decision, but said the EU should not draw “quick and simple conclusions” that might create new and deeper divisions. |
| The Handelsblatt newspaper said a leaked eight-page emergency Brexit plan suggested the German government should push for an “associative status” for Britain after two years of “difficult divorce negotiations”. | The Handelsblatt newspaper said a leaked eight-page emergency Brexit plan suggested the German government should push for an “associative status” for Britain after two years of “difficult divorce negotiations”. |
| The document indicated that Germany would drive a hard bargain to “avoid offering false incentives for other member states when settling on new arrangements”. Specifically, the paper advocates “no automatic access to the single market”, Handelsblatt reported on Friday afternoon. | The document indicated that Germany would drive a hard bargain to “avoid offering false incentives for other member states when settling on new arrangements”. Specifically, the paper advocates “no automatic access to the single market”, Handelsblatt reported on Friday afternoon. |
| While Brussels talked tough, a chorus of European capitals, anxious to avoid clashes with their own Eurosceptic citizens, stressed that the Brexit vote should be seen as a wakeup call for a union that was increasingly losing touch with its people. | While Brussels talked tough, a chorus of European capitals, anxious to avoid clashes with their own Eurosceptic citizens, stressed that the Brexit vote should be seen as a wakeup call for a union that was increasingly losing touch with its people. |
| Mark Rutte, the prime minister of the Netherlands, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said the EU had to become “more relevant, deliver added value to our lives: jobs, growth, control of our external borders”. | Mark Rutte, the prime minister of the Netherlands, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said the EU had to become “more relevant, deliver added value to our lives: jobs, growth, control of our external borders”. |
| He said he personally felt “this strong discontent with Europe, the Europe of the lofty speeches. Most of my EU colleagues also share this view. They too don’t want any more big visions, conventions and treaties.” | He said he personally felt “this strong discontent with Europe, the Europe of the lofty speeches. Most of my EU colleagues also share this view. They too don’t want any more big visions, conventions and treaties.” |