Europe’s door is still open – but Britain will have to move fast | Timothy Garton Ash

The EU is fed up with the UK’s Brexit drama, but would extend article 50 to allow for a second referendum

As Britain agonises over its destiny, I’ve been in Brussels discovering what other Europeans think about Brexit – and therefore what real options Britain still has. Essentially, there are just two. Europe’s door is still open for Britain to stay, if we vote to do so in a second referendum, preferably before the European elections in late May. Otherwise, most of our fellow Europeans would rather we left on 29 March, leaving everything else to be sorted out later and allowing them to get on with confronting their own big challenges.

Of course, it’s impossible to generalise about the views of some 450 million Europeans, but among the leaders and official representatives of the 27 other member states, and the European institutions, there is a remarkable degree of consensus. They are fed up to the back teeth with how long the Brexit drama has taken and how unrealistic the British side has been.

Britannia has put a pistol to her own head and said, 'Give us a good deal or I will shoot myself'

Related: Six possible scenarios in light of Theresa May's Brexit deal

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