Brussels To Blame For Brexit Referendum, German MEP Says
30 January 2019, 16:05 | Updated: 30 January 2019, 16:15
A German MEP blamed Brussels for causing the Brexit referendum as he warned both Britain and the EU will be poorer as a result.
Independent Hans-Olaf Henkel called on the bloc to offer the UK a new deal on EU membership so it can remain.
He said the proposal should include giving Britain greater control over things like immigration.
“Britain joined a football club and Brussels then decided to play hockey,” the German politician told Shelagh Fogarty.
“It was Brussels which violated principles like decentralisation, self-responsibility and that created the real reason for the Brexit referendum.
“It is not only Britain that will suffer from Brexit, the European Union [will] as well.
“I have been in charge of German industry and I know what it means for German industry to potentially lose the largest customer.
“Britain is the largest customer of the European Union, so I think this chaos we are confronted with needs real politicians to change the strategy entirely.”
He added: “The EU should give Britain a proposal, a proposal which makes it easier for Britain to stay in the European Union, give them more autonomy over immigration - something which they refused to give David Cameron at that time.”
Watch the interview above.
