The Guardian reports:

Emmanuel Macron warned Europeans that Brexit was an “alarm signal” of huge historic significance as the EU flag was hauled from the flagpole outside the UK government’s main office in Brussels, marking the end of Britain’s membership of the bloc.

Speaking in Paris, the French president referenced the defining nature of the British decision to turn its back on 47 years of membership. “There is a long history between France and Britain, one made of blood, freedom, courage and battles, I will not forget that,” he said.

Macron said Brexit was a shock and a “historical alarm signal” that needed to be heard across Europe. He reiterated his claim that the 2016 leave campaign was based on “lies, exaggerations and cheques that were promised but will never come”.

In The Hague, when asked whether he had called Boris Johnson to offer his congratulations, the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, responded by telling reporters there were no grounds for congratulations.

The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, described it as a “bittersweet” moment after more than three years of uncertainty for Ireland about the border with Northern Ireland. [Continue reading…]