George Osborne Says He Doesn't Regret NOT Planning For Brexit

15 March 2018, 17:11 | Updated: 15 March 2018, 17:50

George Osborne has told LBC he doesn't regret not planning for Brexit, as he reaffirmed the government had no plan for leaving the EU.

The former chancellor said it would have been “extraordinary” for a pro-Remain government to plan for its departure from the EU.

Although he accepted Britain would now leave the bloc, Mr Osborne said the country had made a "very bad" decision.

And he defended the lack of planning during an exclusive interview with Iain Dale on Thursday.

He said: "It would have been extraordinary for a government that wanted to stay in the EU to plan for its departure.

"Any plan we came up with, which probably would’ve included staying in the Single Market, staying in the Customs Union, would’ve been bitterly contested by those who just won the referendum.

"I regret Britain’s decision to leave the EU, but we have to abide by the decision of the public, but how we leave is up for grabs."

The now editor of the Evening Standard continued: "The hard Brexiteers, all their promises of money back for the NHS, easy to do trade deals with Trump’s America, we’ll be able to get a great deal from the EU because they need us more than we need them, all of which has fallen apart.

"And people are beginning to realise we are going to remain a highly-integrated European economy 20 miles off the coast of France.

"Whilst I’m all for doing more business with China and I probably made that case more than anyone in Britain, the idea that trade with China is going to replace trade with Germany is frankly nonsense."

Watch the full interview below.