Brexit Not Inevitable, Says Ex-Cabinet Secretary Lord O'Donnell

Former cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell has said Brexit is not inevitable - especially if the EU undergoes reforms to make it less closely aligned.

Lord O'Donnell also said that whatever happens, the UK will keep some EU laws and rules.

The crossbench peer, who was head of the civil service between 2005 and 2011, told The Times: "Lots of people will say, 'We've had the referendum, we've decided to go out, so that's it, it's all over'.

"But it very much depends what happens to public opinion and whether the EU changes before then.

"It might be that a broader, more loosely aligned group, is something that the UK is happy being a member of."

But he also acknowledged that this was "not what people voted for".

Lord O'Donnell added that implementing Brexit would be extremely complicated.

Leaving, he said, "means a huge administrative and legislative change because of all of those rules and laws and directives that have been implemented over this last 40 years".

He added: "My instinct is we will almost certainly stick with them (the EU rules and laws) and say, 'OK, we'll keep them for now', so you can leave with everything in place."

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph has reported that Theresa May will invoke Article 50 - beginning formal negotiations on Britain's withdrawal from the EU - without first holding a vote in Parliament.

The paper quoted a Downing Street source as saying: "The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear that the British public have voted and now she will get on with delivering Brexit."

It is likely to anger opponents of withdrawal who claim the referendum result is advisory.

Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, meanwhile, has told The Times that George Osborne wanted David Cameron to make a pledge on immigration prior to the EU referendum.

Mr Balls - now a candidate on Strictly Come Dancing - says the former Chancellor thought voters may have needed reassuring that voting Remain did not mean "more of the same".

"George said that he was very conscious of the status quo point and thought, like in Scotland, we would need to come back with a vow-style commitment to more reform, including around immigration, in the final week or two," Mr Balls told the paper.