Britain would be 'welcomed back into Europe post-election' promises EU president

Britain would be welcomed back into the European Union if voters change their minds about Brexit when they go to the polls in June, the president of the EU parliament has said.

After his meeting with the Prime Minister, Theresa May, Antonio Tajani said there could be a U-turn of Article 50 should there be a change of government.

"If the UK, after the election, wants to withdraw then the procedure is very clear. If the UK wanted to stay, everybody would be in favour. I would be very happy," he said, according to the Guardian.

He said the legal case for reversing Article 50 would be straightforward because all it requires is the agreement of all 27 member states, all of whom would be in favour.

Theresa May has said that there "can be no turning back" on Brexit and feels her calling of a snap election gives her a stronger mandate in negotiations.

But Tajani, who took over in his post from Martin Schultz, said that any Brexit deal would be rejected if the UK does not preserve the rights of three million EU citizens already in the UK and the Britons who are in Europe.

He wants a framework on EU citizens' rights to be clarified in the next few months.

"For us, it's important to ensure that Brexit does not have negative effects on their lives, and rights they are enjoying. We want the same rights as today. For us, the agreement is as today, yesterday, tomorrow. For us, it is a priority and it is a red line."

He supported the decision by May to call an election, saying: "To have a new government before the beginning of the negotiation is good, not only for the UK but for us, because we will have the same negotiators, the same prime minister, and we will know the real situation in the UK".