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| UK could remain in 'looser' EU - Lord O'Donnell | UK could remain in 'looser' EU - Lord O'Donnell |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A former head of the civil service has predicted that the UK might remain in a "more loosely aligned" European Union, despite the referendum vote to leave. | A former head of the civil service has predicted that the UK might remain in a "more loosely aligned" European Union, despite the referendum vote to leave. |
| Lord O'Donnell told the Times it would take Parliament "years and years and years" to separate fully from Brussels. | Lord O'Donnell told the Times it would take Parliament "years and years and years" to separate fully from Brussels. |
| "It very much depends what happens to public opinion and whether the EU changes before then," he said. | "It very much depends what happens to public opinion and whether the EU changes before then," he said. |
| As Gus O'Donnell, he was cabinet secretary from 2005 to 2011 and is now a crossbencher in the House of Lords. | As Gus O'Donnell, he was cabinet secretary from 2005 to 2011 and is now a crossbencher in the House of Lords. |
| Lord O'Donnell said: "Lots of people will say 'we've had the referendum, we've decided to go out, so that's it, it's all over'. | Lord O'Donnell said: "Lots of people will say 'we've had the referendum, we've decided to go out, so that's it, it's all over'. |
| "It might be that the broader, more loosely aligned group is something that the UK is happy being a member of." | "It might be that the broader, more loosely aligned group is something that the UK is happy being a member of." |
| He added: "While we can leave relatively quickly, what leaving means is a huge administrative and legislative change because of all of those rules and laws and directives that have been implemented over this last 40 years. | He added: "While we can leave relatively quickly, what leaving means is a huge administrative and legislative change because of all of those rules and laws and directives that have been implemented over this last 40 years. |
| "My instinct is we will almost certainly stick with them and say 'OK, we'll keep them for now', so you can leave with everything in place." | |
| Gus O'Donnell served as a press secretary under John Major, and then as cabinet secretary - the UK's most senior civil servant - in the cabinets of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron. |