Sadiq Khan urges Theresa May to delay Brexit until after German and French elections next year to get best deal
Mayor of London said it will boost the chances of Berlin and Paris backing a good deal for Britain
SADIQ KHAN is urging Theresa May to delay triggering Article 50 until after the German and French elections next year to get the best deal on Brexit.
The Mayor of London said by not firing the starting gun for us to quit the EU it will boost the chances of Berlin and Paris backing a good deal for Britain.
The Prime Minister has already indicated to Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel she intends to hold off on formally beginning the process until next year.
But Mr Khan said if she waits until after they face their own electorates then the European leaders, who are key to any deal being agreed, may take a more long-term view than a short-term attempt to win voters.
He also said the extra time would help Brexit negotiators “square the circle” of ending freedom of movement into Britain while retaining access to the single market.
The London Mayor told Sky News: “I lost the argument and now it’s for them to persuade the EU how we can get the best of both worlds, how it’s possible to have access to the single market and not have free movement of labour.
“Maybe waiting for French and German elections to be out of the way gives the new French president or German chancellor more of a chance for latitude for some of the things that the British public say we need.”
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Mr Khan, speaking to the broadcaster for a documentary about Brexit, said he was worried that the capital’s jobs would go elsewhere on the content if Article 50 was triggered to soon.
He said: “If we serve notice too quick to quit there’s no guarantee jobs won’t leave.
“I know for a fact there are people from Paris, Berlin, Dublin courting business leaders as we speak.”
