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BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Theresa May has dismissed a report of a tense meeting with EU leaders as “Brussels gossip”, after opposition politicians used it to condemn her Brexit strategy.
May hosted European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker at Downing Street last week to discuss the forthcoming negotiations on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.
At the time, her aides described the meeting as “constructive” – but a report in Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has painted a much more negative picture.
It said Juncker was left deeply pessimistic about the prospects of a Brexit deal, after May refused to offer any compromise on Britain’s exit bill and the timing of trade talks.
“I have to say that from what I’ve seen of this account, I think it’s Brussels gossip,” May said when asked if the report was true.
‘Constructive’
And just look at what the European Commission themselves said immediately after the dinner took place, which was that the talks had been constructive.
But it also shows that these negotiations are at times going to be tough.
Juncker reportedly relayed his thoughts to German Chancellor Angela Merkel – who the next day warned Britain publicly that it should have no “illusions” of what Brexit would involve.
May was speaking in Lancashire, north-west England, while campaigning for the general election in June, which she is hoping will give her a new mandate for the Brexit talks.
British opposition politicians seized on the German report to condemn May’s approach, which involves pulling Britain out of Europe’s single market to try and control migration.
Senior Labour lawmaker John McDonnell said the account was “deeply worrying” and showed May’s “reckless handling of the EU negotiations”.
Tim Farron, leader of the smaller, pro-European Liberal Democrats, added: “It’s clear this government has no clue and is taking the country towards a disastrous hard Brexit.”
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What a wonderful, peaceful ideology.
@George Roche: Did the IRA represent you?
@George Roche: Nothing to do with their religion. Is about money. Do u believe that Trump is about making American great?
Liberalism or Islam?
@Nick The IRA were motivated by a militant republican ideology. A criticism of that ideology would not be considered racist or an attempt to blame all Irish people; why do you treat this citicism differently?
@Vincent Are suicide bombers motivated by money?
@Nick Caffrey: the apologists are out early I see. It’s for this reason we are unable to have a proper discussion on the dangers Islam and it’s teachings. Empty vessels making the most noise as usual
@George Roche:
The term Religion of Peace that gets spouted by politicians such as Obama, Teresa May, Trudeau, I think they were referring to this… http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/attacks/attacks.aspx?Yr=Last30
@Vincent:
Islamic terrorists have nothing to do with Islam, is that what you are saying? So when they didn’t receive their ransom for the Canadians, beheading them had nothing to do with Islamic terror?
@Nick Caffrey: you must know nothing about history to make the comparison between IRA and Islamic terrorism
This is a money making operation, they are a kidnapping gang. A Muslim thief doesn’t steal because they are Muslim, they steal because they are a thief. This is different.
These kidnappers are just doing what the Prophet Mohammed told them to do.
Apologists for these Islamic terror groups are strong on the journal. Yet they can’t understand that although they are been used as useful idiots, they are nevertheless infidels who will have to convert and accept sharia or die.The PC brigade can’t accept that a spade is a spade, you can’t change it into a shovel.
Murderous Islamic militants again. Quite busy recently; Paris-Brussels-Nice-Berlin-London-Stockholm, seems to be no place safe anymore. Very tight border controls are now essential to reduce the risk.
I hear Somalia is lovely this time of year, do people not research where they are going on holidays?
That’s not good that they’re that far north now too.
have your say