Nicolas Sarkozy has pledged to give Britain a chance to reverse Brexit by negotiating a new treaty for the European Union with Germany, if the former French president is re-elected in 2017.

Mr Sarkozy, who is campaigning for the nomination of his centre-Right Republicans party, said the new treaty would focus on reforming the Schengen passport-free zone, restricting the European Commission's remit to a dozen prerogatives, integrating the eurozone further and halting membership talks with Turkey.

In comments to business leaders in Paris, the 61-year old said he would fly to Britain if elected with a draft of new EU treaty the day after the second ballot of the presidential election to secure the support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"I would tell the British, you've gone out, but we have a new treaty on the table so you have an opportunity to vote again," Mr Sarkozy is cited as saying by the Financial Times.