We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Speaking to Times Radio on Wednesday, Lord Michael Heseltine claimed growing support for Scottish independence was a mere result of the “Brexit tragedy” as he claimed the UK should start making its case to re-join the Brussels bloc to save the union. He said: “I believe strongly about the unity of the United Kingdom as I did about the unity of Europe. But I’m fully aware of the huge damage that Brexit has done and in the end, the Scottish people, if they are determined and they are prepared to keep battling on, then they’ll get their independence.

“That would break my heart but the fact is that in parliamentary democracies people have a vote.”

He added: “I’m strongly of the view that the European movement should not give up.

“We should start the argument for rejoining the European Union, and I believe that events will move our way.

“So I would hope that we could keep Scotland while bringing England back into line as part of a great confederation of European power.

“The more you look at the world, the world is shrinking.

“It is quite obvious that Asia is drawing together, that North America is a world power.

“And places even like Africa are beginning to develop.”

Asked how soon he could envisage the UK rejoining the Brussels bloc, he replied: “A generation.”

Confronted with the fact that for the SNP believe “a generation” is “only five or six years”, he said: “I know. That’s the terrible outcome of the Brexit tragedy.”

Times Radio listeners were prompt to lambast the arch-Remainer as they took to Twitter to dismiss his claims. 

One Twitter user said: “So privileged for so long, completely detached from reality. Hearing the word NO is good for his health.”

And another: “Deluded if he thinks that. People are thinking about getting through today and wishing for normality to return.”

One added: “Good grief. Go away Lord Waste Of Time!!”

Brexit talks have stretched late into the night on Wednesday as both sides fought their corners with the clock ticking down to the deadline for a trade deal.

It was reported that several boxes of pizza were delivered to the talks venue on Wednesday night as officials from London and Brussels tried to hammer out an agreement ahead of the end of the transition period on December 31.

The negotiations continued after Boris Johnson insisted the UK’s “bottom line” on a post-Brexit trade deal is to “take back control”.

The Prime Minister said he was “absolutely committed” to trying to secure a deal “if we can” amid warnings talks with the EU have reached a “make or break” point.

DON’T MISS:
Should Boris Johnson walk away if EU insists on taking 40% of UK fish? [POLL]
Self-sacrifice and resilience have unified Britain says LEO MCKINSTRY [COMMENT]
Sunak destroys BoE chief’s doom mongering no deal worse than Covid [VIDEO]

The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier briefed ambassadors from the 27 member states on the latest negotiations amid little sign of progress on the key issues.

He was said to have warned that significant differences remain over fisheries, state aid rules and the governance arrangements for any agreement.

The current trading arrangements expire at the end of the month, and failure to reach a deal could cause significant economic disruption.

At a Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson said: “I think our friends know what the UK’s bottom line is and what people voted for on June 23, 2016 – they voted to take back control.

“It’s about making sure that the UK is able to run its own laws, its own fisheries and so on.”

Source: Read Full Article