Britain’s divorce from the EU will be bitter. Yet the failure is Europe’s too | Nick Herbert

After the referendum, an opt-out on free movement could have avoided full-scale Brexit. But both sides rejected any such compromiseIt wasn’t Britain’s absence from the EU’s birthday celebration last week that shamed me. It was the sight, while I was in Berlin, of our union flag projected on to the Brandenburg Gate. Even as Europe’s capitals stood in loyal solidarity with ours, we plotted a divorce.The story after the referendum could have been different. Despite the narro