European Union leader urges Britain to start Brexit “as soon as possible”

European Council president Donald Tusk has told Theresa May “the ball is now in your court”, as pressure mounts for the United Kingdom to trigger Article 50.

The two leaders met in Downing Street on Thursday morning to discuss the relationship between the two entities in the aftermath of June’s historic referendum.

“I’m aware that it is not easy but I still hope you will be ready to start the process as soon as possible”, Tusk said, adding that the decision to move the process forward was now in “the UK’s court”.

“I told Prime Minister May that I am convinced that it is in everyone s best interests that we start the negotiations soon to reduce and eventually end the uncertainty”, said Tusk.

Tusk visited Downing Street this morning to tell the Prime Minister that the United Kingdom should start its exit from the European Union “as soon as possible”.

Tusk arrived in the United Kingdom from Ireland as part of a series of conversations with European leaders before the Summit.

European Union officials are keen to move quickly on the talks, fearing uncertainty over future relations is hurting investment.

A spokeswoman for May said that the British prime minister stressed to work together with Tusk so that there was a “smooth process” for leaving EU.

Tusk is touring European capitals ahead of a summit in Slovakia this month where the 27 EU leaders – the entire bloc, except Britain – will gather to discuss the fallout from Britain s EU referendum.

But some data suggests that Britain’s economy, while slowing sharply, has recovered from the initial impact of the vote. Reports published on Thursday showed firms increasing the number of permanent staff and house prices rising.

Politicians who campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union have taken the economic data as proof that the “remain” campaign had tried to frighten voters into staying by forecasting economic difficulties.

Britain has set up a trade working group with India to press ahead with its post-Brexit negotiations, United Kingdom minister for worldwide trade Liam Fox said today.

May says reducing immigration into Britain is crucial after millions of Britons expressed their frustration in the vote over what they say is the stress on schools, hospitals and housing from high numbers of people settling in the country. “In fact it is there to protect the interests of the countries remaining in the European Union”, he said.