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SOPHY RIDGE: Joining us now is the Leader of the group of Green MPs in the European Parliament and who is also a member of Brexit Steering Committee, Philippe Lamberts. Thank you very much for being with us. Theresa May’s battles are at home, we all know this don’t we? There’s perhaps some speculation that if MPs vote the deal down there may be some more concessions coming from the EU, is that realistic?

PHILIPPE LAMBERTS: No, there’s no space for renegotiation in the sense actually the constraint was not the inflexibility of the European Union but the constraint created by the Good Friday Agreement, that constraint, the fact that you cannot have a border in Ireland, constrains very much the options that is you cannot have a clear cut Brexit so there was never a possibility for the UK to totally cut all ties with the European Union because of that agreement and that won’t change, that won’t change.

SR: There are some people who say that no deal with hurt EU countries as well so that they feel that …

PHILIPPE LAMBERTS: I agree.

SR: … actually when it comes down to it, they won’t allow no deal to happen.

PHILIPPE LAMBERTS: Well it’s true that it will hurt the EU27’s interests but I think that the heads of states and governments and the parliament are very united in saying yes, it will hurt but it will hurt less than us deconstructing the single market and basically, well weakening a key pillar of the UK union just to please some Tory party extremists so that won’t happen. And I really wonder whether serious politicians in the UK would even consider a crash Brexit because that would mean the UK reneging on two major international treaties, the Good Friday Agreement is one because in case of hard Brexit or cliff edge Brexit there would be a border and on the other hand the UK would just not honour its signature under the financial commitments it took as a member of the European Union so at once the UK would become a rogue state by reneging on international agreements it has signed. I wonder how other states on the planet would react because when people argue that then Britain would become global and strike agreements with all other states on the planet but I’m not sure that many states would like to engage into a treaty with the UK when they see blatantly that the UK reneges on its agreements at will.

SR: A rogue state is quite a strong allegation, you think of places like Russia for example when you think about rogue states.

PHILIPPE LAMBERTS: Well I would just say that when, well international relations are built as much as possible on law, on rule of law and international treaties and when you engage your country into international treaties that means that legally you are bound. If you just say forget about these commitments that means that your word can no longer be trusted and I would say that the only way for UK to be global is to be part of something bigger and that is the European Union.

SR: So do you think there is a chance that Brexit may not happen?

PHILIPPE LAMBERTS: There’s a chance that Brexit will not happen if a majority in the UK considers that between the two options that is Brexit along the lines that have been negotiated and remain, that remain is a better option and I do believe it is. Quite obviously because of the Good Friday Agreement the ties between the European Union and the United Kingdom will remain very strong but with the UK in a weaker position in terms of sovereignty because the UK won’t sit at the table when legislation is being decided so actually this whole story about taking back control was totally misleading in the sense that the UK has control when it is a member of the European Union. This idea that unelected politicians decide laws in Europe, that’s blatantly false. Who decides laws in the European Union is the European Parliament directly elected people and the European Council that is representatives of governments who are accountable to their own party members.

SR: Just to get back on this thought of a potential second referendum or rejoining the EU, if that happened would we have to be part of Schengen, would we have to join the euro?

PHILIPPE LAMBERTS: No, I think at this point in time just imagine that before getting out of the European Union the UK reconsiders, it would stay in the European Union under the current conditions. I think it would be stupid from the EU27 to say ah-ha, you wanted to play with us for two years, we are going to punish you, that would not be sound policies. I think the responsibility would call for welcoming back the United Kingdom. We might say okay we are going to charge you the cost of the negotiating team because you caused it but other than that you can stay under the current conditions.

SR: Okay, thank you very much, I wish we had more time, I appreciate that.