Angela Merkel vows to prevent ‘disorderly withdrawal’ of UK from EU

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged to do everything to reach an agreement with Britain securing its orderly exit from the European Union.

Mrs Merkel said at a Berlin conference of Germany’s main employers’ organisation that “Britain’s withdrawal is shaping up to be more difficult than a fictitious withdrawal of another member country”.
She said that was because of the complexity of regulating the border between EU member the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Mrs Merkel said: “I can tell you that I will do everything so that we get an agreement, a disorderly withdrawal is the worst possible way for the economy but also for the mental situation of our future relationship.” She added that “there will certainly still need to be many discussions, particularly in Britain”.