Former EU boss Lord Patten blasts Brexit as ‘national self harm’ and denounces referendums

TORY grandee and former EU commissioner Lord Patten has hit out at referendums and blasted Brexit as a “trick” and an “act of national self-harm” in a furious tirade against Britons choice to leave.

کد خبر: ۷۳۶۸۴۶

تاریخ: ۱۷ مهر ۱۳۹۶ - ۰۸:۳۹

TORY grandee and former EU commissioner Lord Patten has hit out at referendums and blasted Brexit as a "trick” and an "act of national self-harm” in a furious tirade against Britons choice to leave.

The Lord, who now serves as a cross-bench peer, opposed leave supporters during the referendum and in its immediate aftermath.

But over a year on, the last governor of Hong Kong and former Conservative chairman is still blasting the nation for choosing to leave the crumbling EU bloc.

Lord Patten said: "That moral case for Europe was never strongly enough put and we were left with rather dubious arguments about sovereignty.

"It was never understood the extent to which Thatcher and Major had got us Europe on our own terms; no Schengen, no Eurozone, the single market - our idea - largely pushed by us.

"We had the Europe that suited us and we voted, partly for immigration, and partly for other reasons, partly because of 'taking back control' and we voted to leave.

"I think it has been the single most calamitous example of national self-harm in my lifetime.

"I don't know what is going to happen as a result of Brexit. I'm in good company because neither does the Government.

"At its best in ten years' time there will have been a succession of small and larger things which will have impoverished us and made us less significant on the world stage.

"I think it is awful if we finish up with a diminished country as a result of all that mendacity."

The Conservative grandee went on to claim Brexit was like a joke in a magic show at the hand of Boris Johnson and Michael Gove.

He described voters as victims of a trick, using the metaphor of a magician smashing the watch of an audience member.

Lord Patten added: "The comic would then sweep the shards of glass and the mechanics of the watch into his hand and carry it back to the owner, saying 'I'm sorry, I've forgotten the rest of the trick'.

"And I think Boris (Johnson) and Michael Gove have forgotten the rest of the trick and I think that will become more apparent and the weeks and months go by.

Lord Patten caused shock after seemingly turning from his Europhile standpoint earlier this year – telling Britain to be confident in Brexit talks and not assume they will "turn out badly”.

But his comments at the Cheltenham Literary Festival were far from positive on the UK’s decision to leave.

And despite hitting out against referendums, he insisted the only answer was for the nation to have another one on the terms of Brexit.

Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, he said: "I am hugely opposed to referendums on a whole.

"Margaret Thatcher would never have voted for a referendum or have voted to come out of the European Union.

"Certainly before we finally take the plunge or are plunged, I think Parliament, and if necessary the public through a referendum should have the chance to say whether they think it is the right way for Britain to go.

"I can't understand why people who endlessly talk about 'taking back control' think it only happens once in a referendum."