Thank you for winning war but you still have to pay up, says Juncker

JEAN-CLAUDE Juncker yesterday heaped praise on Britain for its role in the Second World War – before saying we ‘would have to pay’ for Brexit talks to advance.

In a rambling speech, the Brussels chief claimed he was ‘not in a revenge mood’ before going on to ridicule parts of the negotiations as ‘nonsense’.

He insisted that the so- called ‘divorce bill’ is the only way to unleash trade talks.

His bizarre intervention came as EU leaders signalled the first major breakthrough in negotiations by preparing to give the green light to discussions on a transition period after Brexit and our future relationship with the EU.

Speaking just hours after documents outlining the plan emerged, European Commission president Mr Juncker said: ‘I’m not in a revenge mood – I am not hating the British.

‘The Europeans have to be grateful for so many things Britain has brought to Europe, during war, before war, after war. But now they have to pay.

‘We cannot find, for the time-being, a real compromise as far as the remaining financial commitments of the UK are concerned.’

He said that the pay-out – estimated at anything between £20billion and £90billion – is not ‘impossible’ for Theresa May to negotiate and likened it to buying a round of drinks.

Referring to the bloc’s 28 countries, he said: ‘If you are sitting at a bar and ordering 28 beers and then suddenly some of your colleagues are leaving, it’s OK but they have to pay.’

In a further dig, Mr Juncker claimed the Brexit process was revealing ‘new problems’ for the UK and suggested the two-year divorce ‘will take longer than initially thought’.

Despite bickering in Brussels about how its rigid negotiating mandate is stopping progress on reaching a deal on citizens’ rights, Mr Juncker also took aim at the UK for the stalemate. After claiming the UK should have offered to adopt EU citizenship rules for years to come, he said: ‘ Why not say easily and with common sense ... that things will stay as they are?

‘The Europeans, or “foreigners”, as they are saying in London, they are there on the island and so many British friends are here. So let them here, let them there. Why are we discussing nonsense like that.’

His intervention will be seen as hugely unhelpful by diplomats.

Both sides have been accused of prolonging uncertainty for the 3.5million EU citizens in the UK and the one million Britons in Europe by refusing to cave on a range of issues.

During his address to students in Luxembourg yesterday, Mr Juncker also said he wanted ‘ closer integration’. He denied accusations he is determined to create a ‘United States of Europe’ before adding: ‘I hate this idea but I love this idea.’

His comments follow the first signs of division amongst the bloc over how to take talks forward after the latest round ended in frustration for both sides on Thursday.

The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who said the stalemate was ‘disturbing’, has privately pushed to open up talks on a transition period. But Germany and France have led objections to this, claiming the UK has not offered enough concessions.

Despite this, EU leaders are expected to unlock internal talks on trade next week. The development is contained in draft conclusions for next week’s European Council summit.

Though short of the full trade talks the UK had hoped for, it will be seen as a boon for Mrs May.