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| Europe must never repeat Brexit, says Guy Verhofstadt | Europe must never repeat Brexit, says Guy Verhofstadt |
| (10 days later) | |
| The European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, has warned that the UK’s decision to leave the EU has already done “far more damage than has ever been predicted”. | The European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, has warned that the UK’s decision to leave the EU has already done “far more damage than has ever been predicted”. |
| Appearing alongside the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, at a European election campaign event in Camden, north London, on Friday morning, the leader of the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats for Europe said he wanted to send a message to people on the continent to “never repeat Brexit again”. | Appearing alongside the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, at a European election campaign event in Camden, north London, on Friday morning, the leader of the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats for Europe said he wanted to send a message to people on the continent to “never repeat Brexit again”. |
| Verhofstadt, a former prime minister of Belgium, has been criticised for comments he made in a BBC documentary, in which he joked that Olly Robbins, the UK’s chief negotiator, had asked him for Belgian citizenship. His aide was also recorded describing Theresa May’s actions as insane and pathetic. | Verhofstadt, a former prime minister of Belgium, has been criticised for comments he made in a BBC documentary, in which he joked that Olly Robbins, the UK’s chief negotiator, had asked him for Belgian citizenship. His aide was also recorded describing Theresa May’s actions as insane and pathetic. |
| Asked about the comments, Verhofstadt said the description of the prime minister had been taken out of context and the Robbins anecdote was “a funny joke. Where is your British sense of humour? I hope that in Brexit you don’t lose that. Your famous sense of humour.” | Asked about the comments, Verhofstadt said the description of the prime minister had been taken out of context and the Robbins anecdote was “a funny joke. Where is your British sense of humour? I hope that in Brexit you don’t lose that. Your famous sense of humour.” |
| Speaking before Verhofstadt’s arrival, Cable said that using such language to talk about the prime minister “isn’t my style”. “I would rather we treated the British prime minister, whether in the UK or Europe, in a properly respectful way. It shouldn’t be personalised,” he said. | Speaking before Verhofstadt’s arrival, Cable said that using such language to talk about the prime minister “isn’t my style”. “I would rather we treated the British prime minister, whether in the UK or Europe, in a properly respectful way. It shouldn’t be personalised,” he said. |
| Verhofstadt and Cable posed for photographs in front of about 30 Lib Dem activists before going canvassing, which consisted of knocking on one door – that of a man who plans to vote Liberal Democrat. | Verhofstadt and Cable posed for photographs in front of about 30 Lib Dem activists before going canvassing, which consisted of knocking on one door – that of a man who plans to vote Liberal Democrat. |
| “I’m not here as a Brexit negotiator,” Verhofstadt told journalists. “I’m here as leader of the Liberal Democrats for Europe to support the most European party, the Lib Dems.” He added: “I think it’s good ground to launch our programme – in London, in Britain – because it’s already clear that Brexit has done far more damage than has ever been predicted. | “I’m not here as a Brexit negotiator,” Verhofstadt told journalists. “I’m here as leader of the Liberal Democrats for Europe to support the most European party, the Lib Dems.” He added: “I think it’s good ground to launch our programme – in London, in Britain – because it’s already clear that Brexit has done far more damage than has ever been predicted. |
| “I think it’s important to show that the European liberals and democrats support Vince Cable, support the Lib Dems in this difficult fight in Britain, in these European elections. Secondly, we want to show by coming here a message to the continent to say never repeat Brexit again. | “I think it’s important to show that the European liberals and democrats support Vince Cable, support the Lib Dems in this difficult fight in Britain, in these European elections. Secondly, we want to show by coming here a message to the continent to say never repeat Brexit again. |
| Brexit: Vince Cable stakes Lib Dems' claim as torch carriers for remain | Brexit: Vince Cable stakes Lib Dems' claim as torch carriers for remain |
| “I’m a Lib Dem. It’s natural that people are looking to the Lib Dems when it comes to European elections. We want to be the alternative for nationalism and popularism. What I think is there will be a huge support for remain.” | “I’m a Lib Dem. It’s natural that people are looking to the Lib Dems when it comes to European elections. We want to be the alternative for nationalism and popularism. What I think is there will be a huge support for remain.” |
| Asked if his presence campaigning in the UK could be seen as “foreign interference”, he said: “This is Europe. I don’t think that for European elections it is interference.” Cable interjected: “Your question tells us what we are fighting against. We are fighting nationalism. We are patriotic people in our different countries, but we are fighting nationalism.” | Asked if his presence campaigning in the UK could be seen as “foreign interference”, he said: “This is Europe. I don’t think that for European elections it is interference.” Cable interjected: “Your question tells us what we are fighting against. We are fighting nationalism. We are patriotic people in our different countries, but we are fighting nationalism.” |
| The UK elects 73 members (MEPs) to the European parliament, which is made up of 751 MEPs elected by the 28 member states of the EU. The UK is split into 12 European electoral regions, and each region is represented by between three and 10 MEPs. | The UK elects 73 members (MEPs) to the European parliament, which is made up of 751 MEPs elected by the 28 member states of the EU. The UK is split into 12 European electoral regions, and each region is represented by between three and 10 MEPs. |
| The constituencies are: | The constituencies are: |
| South East England (10 MEPs) | South East England (10 MEPs) |
| London (8) | London (8) |
| North West England (8) | North West England (8) |
| East of England (7) | East of England (7) |
| West Midlands (7) | West Midlands (7) |
| South West England (including Gibraltar) (6) | South West England (including Gibraltar) (6) |
| Yorkshire and the Humber (6) | Yorkshire and the Humber (6) |
| Scotland (6) | Scotland (6) |
| East Midlands (5) | East Midlands (5) |
| Wales (4) | Wales (4) |
| North East England (3) | North East England (3) |
| Northern Ireland (3) | Northern Ireland (3) |
| You can find out who is standing for election in your area here. | |
| In England, Scotland and Wales, voters can choose to vote for one party or individual. The ballot paper lists the parties standing with the names of their potential MEPs, as well as any individuals who are standing as independent candidates. The D’Hondt method of proportional representation is used to calculate how many seats each party or individual receives. | In England, Scotland and Wales, voters can choose to vote for one party or individual. The ballot paper lists the parties standing with the names of their potential MEPs, as well as any individuals who are standing as independent candidates. The D’Hondt method of proportional representation is used to calculate how many seats each party or individual receives. |
| In Northern Ireland, the single transferable vote method is used, where each voter ranks candidates in order of preference, marking 1 beside their most preferred candidate, 2 beside their second choice, and so on. These votes are then used to allocate Northern Ireland’s three MEPs. | In Northern Ireland, the single transferable vote method is used, where each voter ranks candidates in order of preference, marking 1 beside their most preferred candidate, 2 beside their second choice, and so on. These votes are then used to allocate Northern Ireland’s three MEPs. |
| Those elected as MEPs on 23 May will represent the UK when the new European parliament assembles on 1 July, until such time as the UK ceases to be a member of the European Union. | Those elected as MEPs on 23 May will represent the UK when the new European parliament assembles on 1 July, until such time as the UK ceases to be a member of the European Union. |
| Speaking on Thursday at the launch of his party’s European election manifesto in Shoreditch, east London, Cable said the Lib Dems were “the biggest and best organised of the remain parties” in their preparations for the 23 May vote. | Speaking on Thursday at the launch of his party’s European election manifesto in Shoreditch, east London, Cable said the Lib Dems were “the biggest and best organised of the remain parties” in their preparations for the 23 May vote. |
| Asked on Friday morning about being in competition for anti-Brexit votes with the Change UK party, Cable said: “I wish we were working together in these elections, but unfortunately we are not. We are having to maximise our own numbers within the competition between the remain parties. It is unfortunate.” | Asked on Friday morning about being in competition for anti-Brexit votes with the Change UK party, Cable said: “I wish we were working together in these elections, but unfortunately we are not. We are having to maximise our own numbers within the competition between the remain parties. It is unfortunate.” |
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