Juncker dismisses claim that PM ‘begged him for help’ over private dinner
EMBARRASSED Jean-Claude Juncker was last night forced to distance himself from leaked claims about his confidential Brexit talks with Theresa May.
The European Commission president denied being behind another highly-partisan account of the negotiations reported in a German newspaper. It claimed the Prime Minister had appeared “anxious” and “begged for help” over a private dinner in Brussels last week.
Mr Juncker rubbished the report and denied leaking details of the meeting. “No, never,” he said when asked whether he had briefed the newspaper.
“I am really surprised, if not shocked, about what has been written in the German press and, of course, repeated by the British press.
“Nothing is true in all of this. I had an excellent working dinner with Theresa May.
“She was in good shape, she was not tired and she was fighting as is her duty. So everything for me was OK.” When asked if that meant she had not pleaded with him, he replied: “No, that is not the style of British prime ministers.”
A report in German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung claimed Mrs May had seemed “tormented, despondent and discouraged” during the encounter. It claimed the Prime Minister had said hard-line Brexiteers in her Cabinet and among Tory MPs were putting intense pressure on her over Britain’s negotiating stance.
It claimed: “She told him that, at home, friends and enemies were breathing down her neck, waiting for her to fall. She had no room for manoeuvre, so the Europeans would have to make it for her.”
In April, the same newspaper claimed Mrs May had come across as deluded about the Brexit process during a dinner with Mr Juncker.
His close aide Martin Selmayr was blamed for that leak and was again accused yesterday over the latest briefing. Mr Selmayr and EU Exit Secretary David Davis were present at both meetings.