Senior European Union officials and Members of the European Parliament said farewell to British MEPs on Wednesday, wishing them well ahead of a vote to ratify the Brexit withdrawal deal. "Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depth of love," EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told the chamber, quoting British author George Eliot. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, said Wednesday that Britain's departure from the EU on Friday would be a "sad day" and represented a "lesson for us all". "We will not bow to any kind of pressure or haste," he said, referring to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's stated aim of negotiating a deal by the end of the year, a timetable judged optimistic by the EU. Le Drian echoed a host of warnings from EU leaders against bout "any form of unfair competition, in any area" from Britain.

Source: Punch January 29, 2020 17:37 UTC