Theresa May has ‘got her work cut out’ with Brexit, says former Australian PM

‘The geo-political consequences, the geo-economic consequences for the world have not been good, let’s be blunt about that’

Former Australian PM Kevin Rudd believes the Prime Minister is ‘charting a sensible course of action’ (Getty)

Theresa May has “got her work cut out” in dealing with the fallout of the Brexit vote, according to the former Australian Prime Minister.

Kevin Rudd, who led Australia from 2007 to 2010, added that while he believed Ms May’s response, so far, has been “sensible”, he warned that the consequences of the decision to exit the European Union have “not been good” for the world.

Mr Rudd added that Europe faces a “very arduous” set of challenges as a result of Brexit and questioned its “broader significance as a player” in the global economic and security debate.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Rudd said of Brexit: “I'm a friend of the UK, have been throughout my life. The British people have spoken.

“The geo-political consequences, the geo-economic consequences for the world have not been good, let’s be blunt about that. But in terms of what the British Prime Minister is now doing, I think that she is charting a sensible course of action to try and find a way through which stabilises this for Britain and stabilises it for the rest of the world.

“Will this stabilise? Will Theresa May find the way through? I hope so. As a friend of the UK I hope so, but by God she's got her work cut out for her.”

His comments came after Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, arrived in Downing Street and urged Ms May to get the process of leaving the EU moving. He said the European Parliament wanted Britain to have completed the exit process by early 2019. He argued it would be wrong for British voters to take part in EU Parliament elections – in June 2019 – while the negotiations were ongoing.

Mr Schulz added: “In London, I will also stress why the European Parliament favours the earliest possible triggering of Article 50, which is a pre-condition to opening negotiations.” And he warned of a tough battle ahead on the crucial issue of freedom of movement for EU citizens, saying “the four freedoms of the single market – goods, capital, services and persons – are equally important”.

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