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Tony Blair: Options must stay open on Brexit Tony Blair: Options must stay open on Brexit
(35 minutes later)
The UK should keep its "options open" over Brexit, Tony Blair has said, adding that he does not rule out another referendum on the subject. The UK should keep its "options open" over Brexit, Tony Blair has said, adding that a second referendum should not be ruled out.
The former prime minister told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was vital to study the "real-life implications". The former PM told the BBC the vote was a "catastrophe" and it was vital to study the "real-life implications".
Mr Blair said he respected the verdict of June's referendum, but recommended looking again at Brexit when "we have a clear sense of where we're going". Mr Blair said he accepted the verdict of June's referendum, but recommended looking again at Brexit when "we have a clear sense of where we're going".
In June's referendum, 51.9% of voters opted in favour of leaving the EU.In June's referendum, 51.9% of voters opted in favour of leaving the EU.
The government has promised to invoke Article 50 - setting formal talks with the EU in motion - by the end of March next year. UKIP MP Douglas Carswell tweeted that Mr Blair was "seeking to de-legitimise and reverse" the referendum result.
Supporters of leaving the EU argue it will free the UK up to trade better globally and give the government better control of immigration.
'Substantial gains?''Substantial gains?'
But Mr Blair told Today that he believed the Brexit vote was a "catastrophe" and argued that it was important that the views of the "16 million" people who had backed remaining in the EU should not be ignored. But Mr Blair told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he believed the Brexit vote was a "catastrophe" and argued that it was important that the views of the "16 million" people who had backed remaining in the EU should not be ignored.
He added that he would not rule out a parliamentary vote, a general election or a second referendum on Brexit at some stage. He added: "If it becomes clear that this is either a deal that doesn't make it worth our while leaving, or alternatively a deal that's going to be so serious in its implications people may decide they don't want to go, there's got to be some way, either through Parliament, or an election, or possibly through another referendum, in which people express their view."
"There's no reason why we should close off any options," he said. But he said the vote for Brexit could not be changed "unless it becomes clear that the British people have had a change of mind".
Adding that it was unclear what the outcome of negotiations, in terms of restrictions of movement of people and access to the single market, would be, he said: "We will start to see the real-life implications of this decision to go." The government has promised to invoke Article 50 - setting formal talks with the EU in motion - by the end of March next year.
It says it will not provide a "running commentary" on its stance before negotiations for leaving the EU begin but has pledged to make Brexit work for the whole country.
Mr Blair told the BBC that it was unclear what the outcome of negotiations, in terms of restrictions of movement of people and access to the single market, would be, adding: "We will start to see the real-life implications of this decision to go."
Running commentaryRunning commentary
Mr Blair added: "We've got to work out: are the freedoms that we are going to gain really so substantial that we want to leave the European Union?" "We've got to work out: are the freedoms that we are going to gain really so substantial that we want to leave the European Union?"
He warned of talks with the EU: "I'm convinced that it's going to be very, very tough. We have to understand we are not going to be conducting these negotiations with a group of European businessmen who might well decide that they want maximum access to the UK...He warned of talks with the EU: "I'm convinced that it's going to be very, very tough. We have to understand we are not going to be conducting these negotiations with a group of European businessmen who might well decide that they want maximum access to the UK...
"The people we are going to be conducting these negotiations with are the political leaders of the European Union and their parliaments.""The people we are going to be conducting these negotiations with are the political leaders of the European Union and their parliaments."
"I'm arguing we should keep our options open," he said."I'm arguing we should keep our options open," he said.
The UK government says it will not provide a "running commentary" on its stance before negotiations for leaving the European Union begin. Mr Blair, who was prime minister between 1997 and 2007, announced last month that he was winding up most of his commercial ventures to focus on not-for-profit work.
It has promised to make Brexit work for the whole country. Supporters of leaving the EU argue it will free the UK up to trade better globally and give the government better control of immigration. In 2004, Mr Blair said a UK referendum would be held on ratification of the European Constitution Treaty, creating, among other measures, a European Council president and a "common defence policy". But voters in France and the Netherlands rejected the treaty, which was discarded.
Mr Blair was prime minister between 1997 and 2007. After stepping down, he served as a Middle East envoy for eight years. In 2007, the Labour government rejected calls for a referendum on a second treaty, which came to be known as the Lisbon Treaty, arguing it was a different document and a UK referendum was not needed.
He announced last month that he was winding up most of his commercial ventures to focus on not-for-profit work.
Earlier this month Mr Blair told Esquire magazine he was considering whether there was a "role" for him in politics, having not been actively involved for almost a decade.Earlier this month Mr Blair told Esquire magazine he was considering whether there was a "role" for him in politics, having not been actively involved for almost a decade.