Nice words from German Conservative leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer who said yesterday that Germany would miss Britain when it left the European Union. “Without your great nation, this continent would not be what it is today,” she said, adding “after the horrors of the Second World War, Britain did not give up on us. It has welcomed Germany back as a sovereign nation and a European power.”
Nice words but perhaps a bit too late? I have a theory that if European leaders had directly appealed to Britons during the Brexit referendum then the outcome may have been very different. I seem to remember that the only leader who made a direct appeal to Britons to stay in the European Union was former U.S. President Barack Obama.
Perhaps if German Chancellor Angela Merkel had said similar words during the campaign as her successor said yesterday then things might have been different. Even Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has appealed directly to Britain to stay in the European Union. Well, it is nice to feel wanted but I am afraid to say they are wasted words. Britain voted to leave the European Union and will do so in March, that is certainly clear. The only thing which has to be decided is whether it will be with a deal or a no deal. I suspect that a deal will be reached, probably and hopefully next week. But as the British ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley say Britain is not leaving Europe just the European Union.