‘Historic alarm signal’: EU leaders react as Britain becomes first country to leave union

Emmanuel Macron has insisted Brexit should act as a “historic alarm signal” for the EU, as European leaders reacted to Britain officially ending its 47-year-long membership of the bloc.

The French president, speaking in Paris, also hit out at the “lies, exaggerations, simplifications” during the 2016 EU referendum campaign, but said France had always respected the decision taken by the British people.

Marking the UK’s exit – the first time a country has left the EU since its formation – Mr Macron said: “It is a historic alarm signal that must be heard in each of our countries”.

He added the EU should be “more sovereign, more democratic, closer to our citizens” so that “the desire to leave Europe will never again be the response to difficulties today”.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, also said Brexit was a “deep break for us all”, as she warned the negotiations over the UK’s future relationship and trading partnership will “certainly not be easy”.

In a post on Twitter, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s chief Brexit coordinator, also said: “We will look after your star & work to ensure the EU is a project you’ll want to be a part of again soon!”.

European Council president Charles Michel responded to Brexit with a Monty Python reference, saying “always look on the bright side”.

The remarks from key European figures during the Brexit talks came as the Union Jack flag was removed from key EU buildings, including the European Parliament and European Council in Brussels.

In an article for The Times, Mr Macron also underlined the difficulties that will be encountered in the imminent trade talks. “It is in our commons interest to define as close and deep a partnership as possible in defence and security, and in police, judicial, environmental, scientific and cultural cooperation,” he said.

“At the same time let me be honest, as I have always been: ease of aches to the European market will depend on the degree to which the European Union’s rules are accepted, because we cannot allow any harmful competition to develop between us.”

The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, also warned that Ireland will take a firm line in the post-Brexit trade talks, insisting that fishing and farming communities will be protected during the talks.

Mr Varadkar told RTE a lot of work remained outstanding but he was confident a good deal could be reached. “We want free trade with the UK with no tariffs, no quotas, as little bureaucracy and as few checks as possible,” he said.

Speaking ahead of the UK’s exit, Boris Johnson said from No 10: “This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act in our great national drama.

“Now is the time to use those tools to unleash the full potential of this brilliant country and make better the lives of everyone in every corner of the United Kingdom.”