EU president Donald Tusk says he told David Cameron to 'get real' over his 'stupid' Brexit referendum

The president of the European Council has revealed that he told David Cameron to “get real” over plans for the referendum that would see Britain vote to leave the EU and plunge the UK into political chaos.

In an interview for a new BBC documentary Donald Tusk said he told the then prime minister that there was “no appetite” among other countries for changes to the EU just because the UK was going to hold a “stupid referendum”.

He also revealed that Mr Cameron thought he could ultimately get away with not actually holding the plebiscite on EU membership because it would be blocked by his then coalition partners the Liberal Democrats.

Recounting events, Mr Tusk said: “I told him bluntly come on David, get real. I know that all prime ministers are promising to help you, but believe me the truth is that no-one has an appetite for revolution in Europe only because of your stupid referendum.

“If you try to force us, to hurry us, you will lose everything. And for the first time I saw something close to fear in his eyes. He finally realised what a challenge he was facing.”

At the time Mr Cameron had publicly said he would try to renegotiate EU membership to get a better deal for Britain, and then hold an in-out referendum on whether to leave to stay. The much-vaunted renegotiation failed to secure any significant changes in key areas such as free movement of people. Mr Cameron went on to lose the referendum, triggering Brexit.

Tusk added: “I asked David Cameron, ‘Why did you decide on this referendum, this – it’s so dangerous, so even stupid, you know,’ and, he told me ¬– and I was really amazed and even shocked – that the only reason was his own party.

“[He told me] he felt really safe, because he thought at the same time that there’s no risk of a referendum, because, his coalition partner, the Liberals, would block this idea of a referendum.

“But then, surprisingly, he won and there was no coalition partner. So paradoxically David Cameron became the real victim of his own victory.”

He also recounted a telephone call with Mr Cameron ahead of the prime minister’s resignation, describing it as a “day of reckoning”.

The first episode of the three-party documentary, Inside Europe: Ten Years of Turmoil, will air on BBC Two next Monday evening.

Appearing in the same documentary, former French president Francois Hollande, who was in charge at the time, explained why the EU gave few concessions to the UK.

“Any concessions made to the UK on freedom of movement in the EU would be easily requested by any other member state,” he said.

“I said to him, honestly, if he got a special deal for the UK because there was a fear he might lose the referendum, then other countries under populist pressure would try to organise their own referendum and get their own special deal.”

Another former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, recounted discussions with Mr Cameron about special protections for the City of London as far back as 2011 – which would ominously set the tone for future discussions about EU reform.

He says he told the PM: “If you force our hand, you'll get nothing. If you try to break our arm, you'll get nothing. I said to Van Rompuy [then President of the European Council] ‘This is non-negotiable’.”

He went on to say: “I didn't want to get into lengthy discussions on a subject which was, for me, non-negotiable. No point arguing for eight hours when it could be settled in eight seconds. No, nein, non. End of story.”

Mr Cameron has effectively resigned from public life following his departure as prime minister. He said recently he does not regret calling the Brexit referendum.