'Britain shot itself in the foot' BBC panel savage Brexit as 'magical childish thinking'
A BBC news panel unanimously agreed the British Government is mishandling the Brexit process and the referendum had been a mistake - prompting questions over the broadcaster's neutrality on the controversial issue.
BBC panellist on Brexit: Britain has shot itself in the foot
During a debate panel on the BBC, all guest journalists who appeared on the show condemned Brexiteers for failing Britain.
The extraordinary attack on the Leave vote saw one journalist claim that Britain had "shot itself in the foot" for letting the Brexit process unfold.
Speaking on Dateline, Eunice Goes, a Portuguese reporter, said the UK Government had gone to Brexit meetings with Michel Barnier "without any serious positions".
Isabel Hilton, from China Dialogue, agreed with her fellow panelist and said Britain will keep kicking Brexit down the road so that it never actually happens.
All guest journalists who appeared on the show condemned Brexiteers for failing Britain
One guest said UK Government had come to Brexit meetings with Michel Barnier "without serious ideas"
Mrs Goes told the BBC: "Brussels is optimistic at the sudden outbreak of realism from the British government.
"But then again, these position papers were very strange. They were position papers without positions.
"They have recently signalled an openness towards the ECJ, to replicating the customs union and contributing towards the EU budget for the next few years.
"However, all this happens while the Home Office sends deportation letters to Europea citizens. It's a complete and utter shambles."
She added: "Britain shot itself in the foot by saying it does not want to be in the customs union or single market.
"When you are outside these two, you are killing off business opportunities and causing problems in Ireland. It is Britain's fault."
The extraordinary attack on Leave vote saw one journalist claim Britain "shot itself in the foot"
A BBC news panel unanimously agreed yesterday that the British Government was mishandling Brexit
We will see this can kicked down the road. We have got a year now. It is not going to happen.
Isabel Hilton, from China Dialogue, echoed this remark: "The government has great difficulty arriving at any position on anything.
"The trajectory by which we got here is a series of promises and talk of opportunities and no discussion of who bears the pain.
"We have a weak PM and a very divided cabinet so I believe we will hear a lot of magical thinking. The PM is not ready to have that conversation.
"The Prime Minister is not ready to have a mature, adult conversation about Brexit with the British people."
A spokesman for BBC said: “We are covering the Brexit negotiations impartially across our output, examining all the arguments with a wide range of voices, and will continue to do so.
"Dateline London is a weekly discussion programme in which a panel of international journalists are free to express their views on a range of stories. The panel varies from week to week and regularly includes pro-Brexit contributors."