Tusk: ‘Lots of space’ in hell for British MPs who vote against Brexit deal

Donald Tusk, who last month blasted the architects of Brexit, suggesting there may be “a special place in hell” for them, believes the place of eternal suffering is big enough to also include British MPs voting against the deal.

The initial acerbic remark about hell made by the president of the EU Council targeted people who “promoted Brexit without a sketch of a plan how to carry it safely.” It caused quite a stir among participants and watchers of Britain’s dramatic divorce with the EU. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at one point remarked that he personally knew no hell except his current job.

The question of hell and who among British politicians deserves to be there returned on Thursday as the two European officials were announcing to a media conference that the union partially agreed to a British request to postpone Article 50. The two-part deal offers Britain a delay till May 22, provided the UK Parliament approves the Brexit deal next week. Otherwise it would only last till April 12.

A journalist asked Tusk if he sees hell a suitable place for MPs who now vote against the deal, to which the stone-faced Polish Catholic politician replied: “According to our Pope, hell is still empty. It means there is a lot of space.” The news conference was then wrapped up to the laughter of the audience and a parting shot by Juncker: “Don’t go to hell.”

Tusk was likely referring to last year’s controversy, which happened after an Italian journalist misquoted Pope Francis as saying that there was no hell. The Vatican had to disprove the claim and clarify the Catholic view on what hell is.

Or did Tusk actually mean Shakespeare and not the Pope? Who knows?

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