European Council President Donald Tusk has said he still hopes that Brexit can be reversed, despite official talks starting this week.
Friends of the senior politician had asked him if there was any way to reverse or stop Britain's exit from the European Union.
"Some of my British friends have asked me whether Brexit could be reversed, and whether I could imagine an outcome where the UK stays part of the European Union," Tusk told reporters.
"I told them that in fact the EU was built on dreams that seemed impossible to achieve.
"So who knows? You may say I am a dreamer but I'm not the only one," he added, quoting John Lennon's 'Imagine'.
Tusk made the comments just shortly before a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Credit: PA
Advert
May, who has said that the UK will honour the British people's referendum vote to leave, will detail her plans for the issue of expats' rights later.
Just yesterday, Brexit was the topic that dominated the Queen's Speech.
Theresa May's party are still trying to secure the support needed in order to pass their programme.
Mrs May told reporters as she arrived in Brussels: "I'm very pleased to be here at the European Council today following the constructive start of our negotiations for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.
"And today I'm going to be setting out some of the UK's plans particularly on how we propose to protect the rights of EU citizens and UK citizens as we leave.
"That's been an important issue. We've wanted it to be one of the early issues to be considered in the negotiations. That is now the case. That work is starting. We will be setting out how we propose that EU citizens living in the UK have their rights protected in the United Kingdom."
Credit: PA
Advert
Meanwhile, chancellor Philip Hammond warned Labour about trying to hold up the new laws needed in order for Brexit to happen.
"It's possible for people to make mischief in Parliament, but they do so at their peril. There is a clear majority for us to get on with this," he told the BBC.
Hammond also said that a temporary agreement was desperately needed in order to get businesses 'investing again'.
"The thing that is causing concern in the business community is the risk of a cliff edge," Mr Hammond said.
"The sooner we can reassure businesses that there is going to be a smooth path from where we are now to the future arrangements we put in place with the European Union, the sooner we will have that sigh of relief and start seeing businesses investing again."
Advert
Sources: Independent, Yahoo
Featured Image Credit: PA