03 March 2016

Financial Times: European leaders and businesses line up against Brexit

David Cameron has been given a Franco-German boost to his campaign to keep Britain in the EU in the latest sign of Downing Street mobilising support from international politicians and business leaders.

François Hollande, French president, warned of “consequences” flowing from Britain leaving the EU, including a hint that Britain might be forced to deal with migrants in Dover rather than having controls in Calais.

Wolfgang Schäuble, Germany’s finance minister, said his country would “cry” in the event of a Brexit, adding that the UK could face trade restrictions with Europe if it left.

Mr Cameron and George Osborne have worked behind the scenes to galvanise world leaders and finance ministers into repeating some of the main lines of their pro-EU campaign.

Their biggest prize will come closer to the EU referendum on June 23 with an expected visited to Britain by Barack Obama, who has already expressed his support for the UK staying in the 28-member bloc.

At an Anglo-French summit in Amiens, President Hollande gave credence to comments by Emmanuel Macron, French economy minister, that a Brexit might end the current border regime at Calais.

Asked whether the controls would return to Dover, he said: “I can’t deny the consequences of a decision to leave, on the single market, on the circulation of goods and people, and on relations that concern people.”

Full article on Financial Times (subscription required)

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