Britain must start to prepare for the impact of Greece’s inevitable exit from the euro, Kenneth Clarke warned yesterday. The former Tory Chancellor branded the new government in Athens ‘latter-day Trotskyites’, and said there was no way their demands could be met. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his hard-Left Syriza party have promised to slash repayments on Greece’s £185billion bailout and reverse the harsh austerity measures imposed. Scroll down for video . 'Grexit': Former Tory Chancellor Kenneth Clarke (above, speaking on Sunday Politics yesterday) branded the new government in Athens ‘latter-day Trotskyites’, and said there was no way their demands could be met . Protesters: Around 15,000 people gathered in central Athens last night to support the newly elected government’s push for a better deal on Greece’s debt . Plans include re-hiring thousands of civil servants, raising the minimum wage, imposing swingeing wealth taxes and providing free electricity for the poor. But the demands have led to deadlock with Germany and other EU countries, which are insisting Athens must fulfil its commitments. Around 15,000 people gathered in central Athens last night to support the newly elected government’s push for a better deal on Greece’s debt. Protesters carried banners denouncing economic austerity and Greece’s creditors. Flags: Protesters in Athens carried banners denouncing economic austerity and Greece’s creditors . New government: Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (pictured) and his hard-Left Syriza party have promised to slash repayments on Greece’s £185billion bailout and reverse the harsh austerity measures imposed . Similar rallies are taking place in several Greek cities and about forty other solidarity gatherings are planned across Europe and in Australia, Brazil and the US. Asked whether the standoff would lead to a Greek exit - so-called Grexit - Mr Clarke told the BBC’s Sunday Politics show: ‘Just judging from the public statements of these latter-day Trotskyites who appear to have won the election in Greece, I can’t see how that can be reconciled. ‘I hope a very great deal of work is going on to minimise the impact on financial markets, on the United Kingdom - because it affects us just as much anybody else in the western world - to make sure that any knock-on effects of from their exit are minimalised, and knock-on effects on the Greek people, who are going to suffer more ... are also minimised as well. ‘I can’t see how you can sensibly avoid the Greeks defaulting and the Greeks having to leave the Eurozone. Concerns: PM David Cameron (left) and Chancellor George Osborne (right) have warned that the standoff with Greece - and the prospect of a new Eurozone crisis - is the greatest current threat to the British economy . ‘It’s not anything to do with just the Germans, I can’t see why any other states should take a huge multi-billion pound hit again for the Greeks so they can hire more civil servants, raise their minimum wage and scrap all their labour market laws.’ David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have warned that the standoff with Greece – and the prospect of a new Eurozone crisis - is the greatest current threat to the British economy. The Prime Minister held crisis talks with the Bank of England and senior Whitehall officials last week to make contingency plans to deal with the impact of Greece crashing out of the euro. Experts believe Greece could go bankrupt in a matter of weeks unless it can reach a deal with its main creditors, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
Kenneth Clarke says there is no way government's demands can be met .
PM Alexis Tsipras wants to slash repayments on Greece's £185bn bailout .
Plans include raising minimum wage and imposing severe wealth taxes .
But demands have led to deadlock with Germany and other EU countries .
Britain must start to prepare for the impact of Greece’s inevitable exit from the euro, Kenneth Clarke warned yesterday. The former Tory Chancellor branded the new government in Athens ‘latter-day Trotskyites’, and said there was no way their demands could be met. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his hard-Left Syriza party have promised to slash repayments on Greece’s £185billion bailout and reverse the harsh austerity measures imposed. Scroll down for video . 'Grexit': Former Tory Chancellor Kenneth Clarke (above, speaking on Sunday Politics yesterday) branded the new government in Athens ‘latter-day Trotskyites’, and said there was no way their demands could be met . Protesters: Around 15,000 people gathered in central Athens last night to support the newly elected government’s push for a better deal on Greece’s debt . Plans include re-hiring thousands of civil servants, raising the minimum wage, imposing swingeing wealth taxes and providing free electricity for the poor. But the demands have led to deadlock with Germany and other EU countries, which are insisting Athens must fulfil its commitments. Around 15,000 people gathered in central Athens last night to support the newly elected government’s push for a better deal on Greece’s debt. Protesters carried banners denouncing economic austerity and Greece’s creditors. Flags: Protesters in Athens carried banners denouncing economic austerity and Greece’s creditors . New government: Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (pictured) and his hard-Left Syriza party have promised to slash repayments on Greece’s £185billion bailout and reverse the harsh austerity measures imposed . Similar rallies are taking place in several Greek cities and about forty other solidarity gatherings are planned across Europe and in Australia, Brazil and the US. Asked whether the standoff would lead to a Greek exit - so-called Grexit - Mr Clarke told the BBC’s Sunday Politics show: ‘Just judging from the public statements of these latter-day Trotskyites who appear to have won the election in Greece, I can’t see how that can be reconciled. ‘I hope a very great deal of work is going on to minimise the impact on financial markets, on the United Kingdom - because it affects us just as much anybody else in the western world - to make sure that any knock-on effects of from their exit are minimalised, and knock-on effects on the Greek people, who are going to suffer more ... are also minimised as well. ‘I can’t see how you can sensibly avoid the Greeks defaulting and the Greeks having to leave the Eurozone. Concerns: PM David Cameron (left) and Chancellor George Osborne (right) have warned that the standoff with Greece - and the prospect of a new Eurozone crisis - is the greatest current threat to the British economy . ‘It’s not anything to do with just the Germans, I can’t see why any other states should take a huge multi-billion pound hit again for the Greeks so they can hire more civil servants, raise their minimum wage and scrap all their labour market laws.’ David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have warned that the standoff with Greece – and the prospect of a new Eurozone crisis - is the greatest current threat to the British economy. The Prime Minister held crisis talks with the Bank of England and senior Whitehall officials last week to make contingency plans to deal with the impact of Greece crashing out of the euro. Experts believe Greece could go bankrupt in a matter of weeks unless it can reach a deal with its main creditors, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
way their demands could be met. Prime Minister have promised to slash repayments on Greece’s Trotskyites’, and said there was no way their better deal on Greece’s debt . Plans include the minimum wage, imposing swingeing wealth taxes the demands have led to deadlock with Germany and other EU countries, which are insisting Athens Minister Alexis Tsipras (pictured) and his