After meeting the Prime Minister, the 27 other leaders will meet without Mr Cameron to discuss the implications of Brexit for the EU
David Cameron will travel to Brussels today for what will in all likelihood be deeply uncomfortable talks with EU leaders, in his final scheduled meeting with the full European Council before he stands down as Prime Minister.
The meeting of the Council, made up of the leaders of the EU’s 28 member states, which was moved to allow the UK’s EU referendum to take place, will now be dominated by the fallout from Britain’s shock vote to leave the bloc. Tomorrow, the 27 other leaders will meet without Mr Cameron to discuss the implications of Brexit for the EU.
Government sources insisted Mr Cameron had built “strong relations” with his fellow EU leaders over the years and would use the summit to try and encourage a “constructive spirit” for the coming negotiations over Britain’s new relationship with the EU. However, senior EU leaders have made it clear there can be no talks – not even on an informal basis – on Britain’s status until the government invokes Article 50 – the formal procedure for leaving the EU.
Mr Cameron has said it will be for his successor, who is likely to be in place by September, to do this – leaving Britain and the EU in two months of limbo.
But until Britain formally quits, the country continues to be a full member of the EU, with the same rights as other nations, and to “have a seat at the table”, government sources insisted.
Today’s session will be Mr Cameron’s final appearance at a Brussels summit, as the next is not scheduled to take place until October, however, he will meet EU leaders at an event in France this week commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme and at a Nato summit next month in Warsaw.
David Cameron's premiership - in pictures
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greeting David Cameron at Buckingham Palace for an audience to invite him to be the next Prime Minister on 11 May 2010 PA Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha wave from the steps of Number 10 Downing Street on 11 May 2010 Getty Images On 12 May 2010 Prime Minister David Cameron said in a press conference with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who was then deputy PM, they plan to "take Britain in a historic new direction" and Conservative-led coalition government would be united and provide "strong and stable" leadership Rex A decade ago, David Cameron visited the Arctic to witness the effects of climate change. However since coming to power in 2010, his government has gradually dropped down a succession of green policies Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron greeted soldiers working on flood relief in York city centre after the river Ouse burst its banks, in northern England in December 2015 REUTERS Claims that David Cameron performed an obscene act with a dead pig and smoked cannabis during his studies at Oxford University spread around the world in September 2015. The extraordinary allegations were made in an unauthorised biography of the Prime Minister written by Lord Ashcroft David Hartley/REX Shutterstock In 2016, Mr Cameron was caught up in a worldwide scandal dubbed the “Panama papers” Reuters Prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha with seven week old Regan as they meet her parents, first time home buyers Robert Arron and Kelly Jeffers at the Heritage Brook housing development in Chorley, Lancashire. David Cameron has joked that he wants "another baby" and said that he feels a "bit broody" every time he sees a newborn on the campaign trail Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during an EU summit meeting on 17 March 2016 at the European Union council in Brussels. Cameron was in Brussels to renegotiate deal of UK membership with other European leaders. The deal, sealed after hours of haggling at a marathon summit, paved the way for a referendum on whether Britain will stay in the EU AFP/Getty Images President Barack Obama shakes hands with British Prime Minister David Cameron at a meeting at 10 Downing Street in London on 22 April 2016. The President and his wife visited 10 Downing Street where he joined press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron and made his case for the UK to remain inside the European Union Getty Images After David returned from Brussels claiming victory in his renegotiation with European leaders, Boris Johnson announced that he will not support the Remain campaign. The prime minister said publicly he was "disappointed but Boris remains a friend" PA Prime Minister David Cameron makes a joint appearance with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as they launch the Britain Stronger in Europe guarantee card at Roehampton University on 20 May 2016 in London. The 'guarantee card' lists five pledges should Britain remain in the EU, including the protection of workers' rights, full access to the single market and stability for Britain Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks outside 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016. Cameron announced his resignation after Britain voted to leave the European Union after a bitterly divisive referendum campaign AP Prime Minister David cameron told the then New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Queen had “purred down the line” after he told her Scotland had voted against independence in September 2014. He was forced to apologise for breaking constitutional convention Getty Images Prime Minister David Cameron was criticised for branding refugees in the Calais ‘jungle’ camp as a “bunch of migrants” in January 2016 after thousands of refugees died in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean in 2015 Sky News Meanwhile, Business Secretary Sajid Javid will meet more than 20 representatives of UK business today to discuss the “significant challenges” ahead.
Senior figures from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Institute of Directors (IoD) and representatives of the aerospace, defence, car, oil and gas, steel, rail, tourism and food industries will attend the meeting, at which Mr Javid is expected to say that while the economic risks of Brexit are great, there will also be ‘opportunities’ for business.
“There are significant challenges ahead, but the economic success of the past few years means we’re better able to withstand the current market turbulence and work towards a better future,” Mr Javid said. “The UK remains open for business.”