Donald Tusk says he still 'dreams' the UK might reverse Brexit

Donald Tusk has said he still “dreams” of the UK reversing Brexit following the six month extension.

The European Council President insisted that the UK cannot be a “second category” member of the EU if it takes part in elections. 

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Tusk said: “During the European Council, one of the leaders warned us not to be dreamers, and that Brexit couldn’t be reversed.

“At this rather difficult moment in our history, we need the dreamers and the dreams. We cannot give into fatalism. I will not stop dreaming of better and united Europe.”

He added: “One of the consequences of our decision is that the UK will hold European elections next month.

“We should approach this seriously, as UK Members of the European Parliament will be there for several months, maybe longer. They will be full Members of the Parliament, with all their rights and obligations.

“I am speaking about this today because I have strongly opposed the idea that during this further extension, the UK should be treated as a second-category member state.

Mr Tusk also said the European Union did not give into “fear and scaremongering” about the UK disrupting the EU’s functioning during a Brexit extension.

He said: “I know that some have expressed fear that the UK might want to disrupt the EU’s functioning during this time but the EU 27 didn’t give in to such fear and scaremongering.

“In fact, since the very beginning of the Brexit process the UK has been a constructive and responsible EU member state and so we have no reason to believe that this should change.”

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU is “ready” for a no-deal Brexit but that the EU has “nothing to gain” from the “disruption” it would cause the UK.

He said: “We have adopted the necessary contingency measures and we are ready for a no-deal Brexit.

“But our union has nothing to gain from great disruption in the United Kingdom. The only ones who would benefit are those who resent multilateralism and seek to undermine the global legal order.”