Britain leaving EU but must not turn back on Europe: David Cameron

LONDON: Britain must not turn its back on Europe or the rest of the world even though it is leaving the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron told parliament

LONDON: Britain must not turn its back on Europe or the rest of the world even though it is leaving the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron told parliament on Monday after a shock referendum backed a Brexit.

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“Britain is leaving the European Union but we must not turn our back on Europe or the rest of the world,” he said.

“We have to determine the kind of relationship we want with the EU.”

“It is going to be difficult... This is going to be far from plain sailing,” he told MPs, while also trying to reassure them following a plunge in the financial markets in the wake of the referendum.

“We are well placed to face the challenges ahead,” he said.

He also said that different parts of the UK would be involved in consultations on withdrawal from the EU, after Scotland said a new independence referendum could be on the cards since Scotland had voted against leaving.

“Scotland benefits from being in two single markets”, the EU and the rest of Britain, he said.

“In my view the best outcome is to try and keep Scotland in both,” he added.

He also reiterated that he would leave it to his successor to formally start Brexit negotiations with the EU.

“Before we do that, we have to determine the kind of relationship we want with the EU,” he said.