UK will regret decision, says Juncker

The UK will come to regret its decision to leave the European Union, Brussels’ top official has claimed.

European Commission president Jean-claude Juncker said things “cannot remain as they are” for the UK in its relationship with the EU after leaving the bloc.

Addressing the European Parliament, Mr Juncker was cheered by Eurosceptic MEPS as he noted the UK’S departure was due on March 29 2019.

Responding to their applause, Mr Juncker said the time would come “when you will regret your decision”.

In a message to Theresa May, who had hoped her Mansion House speech had provided further information on her plans, Mr Juncker said the EU needed “more clarity on how the UK sees its future relationship”.

And he insisted the EU was united over the issue of the Irish border, one of the main issues in the negotiation.

Mr Juncker said “cherry-picking is not going to be possible” in the future trade relationship between the UK and EU.

And he said the controversial “backstop” proposal for dealing with the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic “translates faithfully” the agreement reached between Mrs May and the EU in December.

He said the EU was ready to work with the UK on its preferred option of the border issue being resolved in the future trade deal, or by other specific measures.

Mr Juncker said: “The 27 member states stand firm and united when it comes to Ireland. For us this is not an Irish issue, it is a European issue.”