Britain must pay price for Brexit, France’s Hollande warns

French President Francois Hollande has warned Britain that its exit from the European Union would have its own costs, saying London should pay the price for the decision.

"There will inevitably be a price and a cost for Britain, it's the choice they made," Hollande said on Saturday as he arrived for an EU summit to adopt guidelines for negotiations on Brexit, or Britain’s pullout from the bloc.

Hollande said the EU would not let Britain have a soft Brexit, saying the continental bloc would do its best to engineer a process that would ensure benefits for Brussels rather than for London.

"We must not be punitive, but at the same time it's clear that Europe knows how to defend its interests,” said Hollande, adding, “Britain will have a less good position outside the EU than in the EU.”

The French leader rejected suggestions that a snap election in Britain would allow Prime Minister Theresa May to strengthen her position in the talks with the EU.

“The EU's principles and the objectives are already fixed, these will be the lines chosen by negotiators,” he said, adding, “I can understand the electoral argument but it will not influence the EU.”

Other EU officials have also dismissed the idea that early elections in Britain could give the ruling conservative party an advantage in future talks with the EU.

SS