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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Donald Tusk: EU's 'heart still open to UK' over Brexit | Donald Tusk: EU's 'heart still open to UK' over Brexit |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The UK would be welcome to stay in the EU if it changed its mind about Brexit, Donald Tusk has suggested. | The UK would be welcome to stay in the EU if it changed its mind about Brexit, Donald Tusk has suggested. |
| The European Council President told MEPs that the UK would leave the bloc unless it had a "change of heart". | The European Council President told MEPs that the UK would leave the bloc unless it had a "change of heart". |
| "We haven't had a change of heart. Our hearts are still open for you." | "We haven't had a change of heart. Our hearts are still open for you." |
| The comments were welcomed by Labour and Lib Dem MPs who want a referendum on the final Brexit deal but Leave Means Leave said the EU had to "accept the UK is a democracy". | The comments were welcomed by Labour and Lib Dem MPs who want a referendum on the final Brexit deal but Leave Means Leave said the EU had to "accept the UK is a democracy". |
| The government has said there will be no second vote ahead of the UK's exit in March 2019. | The government has said there will be no second vote ahead of the UK's exit in March 2019. |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has also dismissed the idea while insisting that MPs have a "meaningful vote" in Parliament on the terms of the withdrawal agreement. | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has also dismissed the idea while insisting that MPs have a "meaningful vote" in Parliament on the terms of the withdrawal agreement. |
| Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage floated the idea of a second vote last week, saying he was confident it would return a larger margin for Leave than in 2016 and it may be needed to settle the issue for a generation. | Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage floated the idea of a second vote last week, saying he was confident it would return a larger margin for Leave than in 2016 and it may be needed to settle the issue for a generation. |
| As it stands, the UK is due to leave the EU in March 2019. | As it stands, the UK is due to leave the EU in March 2019. |
| The two sides reached a deal on so-called "divorce issues", including money and citizens' rights, in December and talks are now moving onto transitional arrangements and future co-operation. | The two sides reached a deal on so-called "divorce issues", including money and citizens' rights, in December and talks are now moving onto transitional arrangements and future co-operation. |
| Revised draft EU guidelines obtained by several UK newspapers suggest the EU is toughening its stance on what changes the UK can make on immigration, trade and fishing during a roughly two year transition period. | Revised draft EU guidelines obtained by several UK newspapers suggest the EU is toughening its stance on what changes the UK can make on immigration, trade and fishing during a roughly two year transition period. |
| Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Tusk said he believed the other 27 EU members would maintain their unity when the talks resumed in March. | Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Tusk said he believed the other 27 EU members would maintain their unity when the talks resumed in March. |
| "The hardest work is still ahead of us, and time is limited," he said. | "The hardest work is still ahead of us, and time is limited," he said. |
| "If the UK government sticks to its decision to leave, Brexit will become a reality - with all its negative consequences - in March next year. Unless there is a change of heart among our British friends. | "If the UK government sticks to its decision to leave, Brexit will become a reality - with all its negative consequences - in March next year. Unless there is a change of heart among our British friends. |
| "Wasn't it David Davis himself who said 'if a democracy cannot change its mind, it ceases to be a democracy'. | "Wasn't it David Davis himself who said 'if a democracy cannot change its mind, it ceases to be a democracy'. |
| "We, here on the continent, haven't had a change of heart. Our hearts are still open to you." | "We, here on the continent, haven't had a change of heart. Our hearts are still open to you." |
| Labour MP Daniel Zeichner, a supporter of the Best for Britain group, which was launched last year by pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, said the option to remain in the EU must be kept open. | Labour MP Daniel Zeichner, a supporter of the Best for Britain group, which was launched last year by pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, said the option to remain in the EU must be kept open. |
| "The world has moved on since the summer of 2016, and in a time of great political division and tension across the world, it seems ever more foolish to stray from our European neighbours," he said. | "The world has moved on since the summer of 2016, and in a time of great political division and tension across the world, it seems ever more foolish to stray from our European neighbours," he said. |
| "We are stronger together, and it becomes increasingly clear that the current path is extremely damaging." | "We are stronger together, and it becomes increasingly clear that the current path is extremely damaging." |
| But Leave Means Leave, which grew out of the Vote Leave campaign during the 2016 referendum, said Brussels had a history of not listening to the views of voters. | But Leave Means Leave, which grew out of the Vote Leave campaign during the 2016 referendum, said Brussels had a history of not listening to the views of voters. |
| "Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker need to accept that Britain is a democracy - something the EU knows very little about," said its co-chair Richard Tice. | "Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker need to accept that Britain is a democracy - something the EU knows very little about," said its co-chair Richard Tice. |
| "The British people voted to leave the EU and this decision will not be reversed, despite their best efforts." | "The British people voted to leave the EU and this decision will not be reversed, despite their best efforts." |
| Mr Tusk's comments were also dismissed by prominent Brexiteers in the European Parliament. | |