Britain is in a mess, says Tony Blair on Brexit

Tony Blair, former British prime minister says Britain is in a mess, accusing Labour and Conservative Parties of “peddling fantasies”.

Britain is holding an election three years ahead of schedule because parliament was deadlocked over Brexit, unable to agree on how or even whether to leave the European Union.

Commenting on this, Blair said neither his own Labour Party nor Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservatives deserve to win the December 12 election.

“We’re a mess. The buoyancy of the world economy has kept us going up to now, but should that falter, we will be in deep trouble,’’ Blair said.

“The problem with revolutions is never how they begin but how they end. The problem with revolutions is that they always end badly.

“The truth is: the public isn’t convinced either main party deserves to win this election outright.’’

The election is between a socialist-run state under Labour, which is offering a second referendum on leaving the EU, and the free-market Conservatives, who want to “get Brexit done” by the end of January.

Blair, an opponent of Brexit, argued for a second referendum on the decision to leave, saying it would need to be followed by another general election.

Johnson has pledged to take Britain out of the EU by January 31 if he wins a parliamentary majority and then to negotiate a comprehensive deal but Blair said there was still a risk that Britain could exit the EU in a year’s time without having struck a deal with its biggest trading partner.

“No-deal Brexit is not off the table. This negotiation (on the future relationship) has no chance of being concluded in that transition period,” he said.