Failure to reach Brexit deal ‘suicide’ for UK, says former EU chief

Romano Prodi, once Italian prime minister, says compromise on both sides is essential and that a second referendum would be almost impossible

Britain will be committing economic suicide unless it is prepared to compromise to reach a comprehensive Brexit deal, a former head of the European Commission has warned.

Romano Prodi, the economist and former Italian prime minister, said the Brexit negotiations had made little progress in the first year after the referendum and urged both sides to begin making concessions on trade and immigration to reach a deal.