Top EU official Sassoli warns no-deal Brexit could be a ‘catastrophe’

cde.news desk 9 October 2019, 09:20 · 1 min read

epa07906016 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) shakes hands with David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament, during a meeting inside number 10 Downing Street in London, U.K., 08 October 2019. Johnson told German Chancellor Angela Merkel a Brexit deal is essentially impossible if the EU demands Northern Ireland should stay in the bloc's customs union. EPA-EFE/CHRIS RATCLIFFE / BLOOMBERG / INTERNATIONAL POOL

The president of the European Parliament has told Sky News that a no-deal Brexit could be a “catastrophe” and Boris Johnson needs to “feel this responsibility” as the clock ticks towards the deadline for Britain’s EU exit.

Davide Sassoli said it is “painful” to think about such a scenario being realised, as it will “put the UK’s exit in a tunnel from which we don’t know how to come out”.

“There could be problems with economy, security… there could also be a catastrophe,” he said.

He was speaking after holding talks with the prime minister in Downing Street, after which he declared there had been “no progress” towards agreeing a new deal between Britain and the EU ahead of the 31 October deadline.

Sassoli told Sky News that Johnson said to him that he “will not ask for an extension”.