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Europe could go down the drain after Brexit, warns German Vice Chancellor Europe could go down the drain after Brexit, warns German Vice Chancellor
(35 minutes later)
The German Economy Minister has said that if Britain's exit from the European Union is badly handled and other countries follow its lead, Europe could go "down the drain". German's Economy Minister has said that Britain shouldn't be allowed to keep the "nice things" as it negotiates its departure from the European Union. 
"Brexit is bad but it won't hurt us as much economically as some fear - it's more of a psychological problem and it's a huge problem politically," Sigmar Gabriel said, noting that the world was now looking at Europe as an unstable continent. Sigmar Gabriel said that the world was watching how Britain manages Brexit and that Europe could go "down the drain" if things go badly. 
"If we organise Brexit in the wrong way, then we'll be in deep trouble so now we need to make sure that we don't allow Britain to keep the nice things, so to speak, related to Europe while taking no responsibility," he said. "Brexit is bad but it won't hurt us as much economically as some fear - it's more of a psychological problem and it's a huge problem politically," Mr Gabriel said, noting that the world was now looking at Europe as an unstable continent.
More follows "If we organise Brexit in the wrong way, then we'll be in deep trouble so now we need to make sure that we don't allow Britain to keep the nice things, so to speak, related to Europe while taking no responsibility," he added.
His comments come amid growing tensions on the continent and in the UK.
The German Deputy Foreign Minister said negotiations would be "very difficult" and that Britain would not be able to have both full access to the single market and limits on the freedom of movement of workers.
Theresa May has set her stall out as a "Brexit means Brexit" leader. A Eurosceptic who remained neutral during June's referendum on leaving the EU, Mrs May says her government will abide by the results of the vote and intends to open exit negotiations with EU colleagues next year. 
But a meeting on Wednesday, in which ministers will meet with the PM to discuss how to make a success of Brexit, comes in the face of opposition from civil servants and growing tensions among the senior ministers in charge of negotiations.
Despite reports of a feud between the ministers in charge of the main Brexit departments – Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox – Ms May will attempt to use Wednesday's meeting to compare the unity in Tory ranks with the chaos in the Labour Party.
She is expected to trigger Article 50 early in the new year without a parliamentary vote – something that has led opponents to accuse her of acting like a "Tudor monarch".
Labour’s shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner said: “The logic of saying the Prime Minister can trigger Article 50 without first setting out to parliament the terms and basis upon which her government seeks to negotiate – indeed, without even indicating the red lines she will seek to protect – would be to diminish parliament and assume the arrogant powers of a Tudor monarch."
Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "To impose a swift exit on the British people without giving the people or their representatives a say is a betrayal of British democracy."
Labour leadership candidate Owen Smith said: “Theresa May is clearly running scared from parliamentary scrutiny of her Brexit negotiations. She’s looked at the numbers and she knows she might not win a vote in parliament."
Leading pro-EU MPs have also stepped up pressure on Theresa May to secure the "best possible relationship" with Brussels after Brexit.
A cross-party alliance of former ministers issued a joint plea for the Prime Minister to resist "false choices" - including on the issue of remaining in or quitting the European single market.
The UK has two years in which to formally negotiate its way out of the European Union once Article 50 is triggered.