As Britain scrambles to find its footing in the wake of Brexit, PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen has made it clear that the EU shouldn’t be too hasty in telling the Brits to “go to hell” and should instead work on improving flexibility and room to compromise within its remaining ranks.
“It’s no use saying to the British: ‘Go to hell, now we’ll show you how a federal Europe is done right’,” he said.
Read more: PM: Brexit will not lead to Dexit
Can’t we just work this out?
Rasmussen’s comments come at a time when Denmark itself is hoping to remain a part of Europol after Danes voted ‘Nej’ in the December 2015 referendum.
“If a country has a problem that is important to it, but perhaps less so for the rest of our community, then we need to work on getting it resolved effectively,” he said at the emergency EU meeting held in Brussels on Tuesday.
Read more: Today is ‘Ja’ or ‘Nej’ day for Danes
Peaceful divorce
“I have some understanding of the situation that Britain is in right now,” he continued, saying he hopes the separation will be an amicable one.
“I’m hoping the divorce will be peaceful, and I think it would be sensible to give Britain some time to think [before they activate Article 50].”
He also criticised the EU for its “high rhetoric” that sometimes serves to scare people away.
