Martin Schulz: UK needs united, not divided EU

LONDON

European Parliament President Martin Schulz said “the U.K. needs a united not a divided EU to achieve a good Brexit deal,” during a speech at the London School of Economics on Friday.

On the second day of his visit to the U.K., the EU chief once again urged Britain to "notify its departure from the EU as soon as possible.

“We run the risk of facing the European elections in the U.K. in 2019 at the very same time as it is leaving the EU. That would be a very difficult thing to explain to the U.K. and European citizens,” Schulz said.

“What we cannot afford to do now is to press the pause button to EU activity when it is in the midst of a migration and refugee crisis when it must plan its financial framework for the coming years when it must complete economic and monetary union.”

Schulz said the EU referendum “divided British society like no other event” and the outcome was a “loud and clear warning sign for the EU as a whole to reform.”

The EU president has said the European Parliament would play a key role in setting a new relationship between the EU and the U.K.

“Not least because we must consent to any withdrawal treaty and subsequent treaty setting out the full relationship,” he said.

Schulz has also urged both sides to define “a coherent line” and “not to play one country against another.”

Ahead of his speech Friday, Martin Schulz met with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn.

During his visit to the U.K., Schulz met with British Prime Minister Theresa May and urged her to trigger Article 50 at the earliest possible date. Article 50 is the formal process for leaving the 28-nation EU bloc.