EU meets without Britain for first time since Brexit vote

TIL Desk/World/Brussels-Europe’s leaders meet today without Britain for the first time following its shock decision to leave the EU, trying to pick up the pieces and prevent further disintegration. The 27 remaining members of the bloc agreed to give Britain some breathing space yesterday, accepting that it needs time to absorb the shock of the Brexit vote before triggering Article 50 that will begin the formal divorce proceedings.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned British Prime Minister David Cameron could not “cherry-pick” the terms of the exit negotiations, reflecting wider concerns that Britain’s departure could spark a domino effect of other states wanting to leave the EU. Cameron flew back to London after Tuesday’s summit, as Scotland’s first minister headed in the opposite direction to test the waters in Brussels for her country joining the bloc as a separate entity.

Scotland overwhelmingly backed “Remain” in last Thursday’s vote, and a combative Nicola Sturgeon has said she was “utterly determined to preserve Scotland’s relationship and place within the EU”. That may require a second referendum on Scottish independence, which failed in 2014, with Sturgeon saying that the Britain of that time “does not exist any more” following the Brexit vote. Top of the agenda today will be how the remaining 27 members of the bloc can increase unity after the shock of the British vote.