A former Italian premier has claimed that Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which, if triggered, would initiate Britain’s exit from the EU, was designed not for actual employment but as a deterrent - and he should know, he wrote the thing.
Giuliano Amato was the man behind the European Union divorce clause, which if enacted by a British prime minister would begin a two-year countdown to our formal departure from the 28-nation bloc.
"I wrote Article 50, so I know it well," he told a conference in Rome last week.
"My intention was that it should be a classic safety valve that was there, but never used. It is like having a fire extinguisher that should never have to be used. Instead, the fire happened."
Amato advised that Brussels offer no concessions to London in upcoming negotiations, as this is the only way Britain might reconsider the decision it made through referendum.
"When it comes to the economy they have to lose," he said.
The former Italian prime minister described Brexit as a "disaster", called David Cameron "mad" for calling a referendum over it and urged other countries not to follow suit.
Of impending talks, he said: "Don't give Britain the possibility of thinking that Brexit is a better way of doing what they have always done, grabbing what suits them (in the EU) and opting out of what they don't like. Brexit is a total opting out. They know this very well.
"The more they realize that they are losing, then the more chance there is that in 2020 [when there will be a general election] someone will do something about it."
He conceded that this was an "absurd hope", and as such wants "the negotiations [to be] dragged on so they won't be wrapped up by 2020. (Prime Minister) May wants to wrap things up by 2019, but it will be easy to prolong matters."
(H/T @DavidAllenGreen)
