Britain faces seven years of limbo after Brexit, says Donald Tusk

Britain faces seven years of limbo after Brexit, says Donald Tusk

Britain could face up to seven years of limbo if voters choose to leave the European

Unionlll in the 23 June referendum as negotiations take place over a new relationship,

Donald Tusk, the president of the European council, has said.

With polls suggesting the result of the referendum on 23 June will be close, and voters

keen to understand what the practicalities would be if Britain left, Tusk poured cold

water on claims by some in Vote Leave that a new deal with the EU could be struck

quickly.

Any country wanting to leave can trigger article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, which triggers a

two-year process Of negotiation about the terms Of the departure with the Other 27

member-states. The talks would be expected to tackle issues such as the tariffs the EU

would apply to British goods, and the restrictions placed on freedom of movement.

Tusk, who chairs the EU's main decision-making body, said that even if the negotiations

could be completed within two years, the ratification Of Britain's new status could take

much longer.

"Every single one of the 27 member states as well as the European parliament would have

to approve the overall result. That would take at least five years, and I'm afraid, without

any guarantee Of success," he said in an interview with the German daily Bild, to be

published in full on Monday.

David Cameron has repeatedly stressed that Britain could face a "decade of uncertainty"

while a new relationship is established with the rest of the EU if voters choose to leave.

Vote Leave campaigners have suggested the exit process would be relatively

straightforward, and would then release Britain to strike new trade deals with non-EU

states.

EU politicians have united in warning British voters about the perils Of Brexit. The

German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said it would be difficult for Britain to command the

same negotiating power from outside the EU; and her finance minister, Wolfgang

Schaüble, said on Friday that Britain would no longer have access to the single market.

"In is in. Out is out," he told Spiegel magazine. "I hope and believe that the British will

ultimately decide against Brexit. The withdrawal of Britain would be a heavy loss for

Response: Response: This article is definitely, at least slightly, biased against Brexit (the removal of Britain from the EU) as it mentions multiple reasons why Britain shouldn't pull and the only pro really mentioned would be expanding trade. If Britain does decide to leave the EU it will lead to years of partial instability in the government as they deal with political negotiations for the next two years, at least. Right now, in light of the rising war on terror, I don’t think it would be a good idea for Britain to the leave the EU. There is enough tension on most of the countries in Europe with all of the refugees and migrants coming in from Syria, Britain leaving the EU would potentially put more pressure on those countries as well as on Britain. While it may seem to be potentially rewarding for Britain in regards to trade and other economic areas, politically it doesn't seem to be the smartest move right now.

Citation: Stewart, Heather. "Britain faces seven years of limbo after Brexit, says Donald Tusk." 12 June 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 14 June 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/12/britain-faces-seven-years-of-limbo-after-brexit-says-donald-tusk>