Juncker dismisses ‘EU super-state’ claims

European Commission president Jean-claude Juncker has accused British politicians such as Boris Johnson of talking “total nonsense” when they accuse him of seeking to create a European superstate.

His comments came as he answered questions at a press conference in Brussels taking place as the Foreign Secretary made a high-profile speech on Brexit in London.

The Commission president was asked to respond to Mr Johnson’s suggestions that he was trying to turn the EU into a federal superstate.

Mr Juncker replied: “Some in the British political society are against the truth, pretending that I am a stupid, stubborn federalist, that I am in favour of a European superstate.

“I am strictly against a European superstate. We are not the United States of America, we are the European Union, which is a rich body because we have these 27, or 28, nations.

“The European Union cannot be built against the European nations, so this is total nonsense.”

The German government called on Theresa May to present plans for the future relationship between the UK and the EU, with a spokesman for Angela Merkel saying on Wednesday: “It’s important for us that Britain concretise its plans... time is running out.” Mrs Merkel meets Mrs May in Berlin on Friday.

The EU’S Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said last week the UK has still not outlined its vision at the half-way mark in talks.