Juncker to toast March 29 exit... in Dublin

JEAN-CLAUDE Juncker and his right hand man will head to Dublin to toast the night Britain leaves the European Union, it can be revealed.

The president of the European Commission plans to spend the March 29 in the Republic of Ireland to show solidarity with the Irish people.

Negotiators in Whitehall had hoped that Brussels would put pressure on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to compromise as the prospect of a No Deal Brexit approaches.

But EU figures have sought to put on a public show of loyalty with Ireland, whilst rejecting Theresa May’s demands for changes to the controversial backstop, which is designed to ensure there will be no return to a hard border with Northern Ireland. As Mr Varadkar visited Mr Juncker in Brussels on Wednesday, they posed together with a giant thank you card sent to the Commission president by a Dublin that declared: ‘For the first time ever, Ireland is stronger than Britain thanks to the EU’.

In contrast, the next day Mr Juncker and Theresa May appeared awkward as they greeted each other in front of the cameras before sitting down for talks.

Mr Juncker’s second in command, Martin Selmayr – nicknamed The Monster, also plans to be in Dublin, raising fears that he is secretly pushing for the EU to maintain its uncompromising negotiating stance.

Cabinet ministers have in private accused the European Commission secretary-general of secretly plotting the reunification of Ireland as punishment for Brexit.

Britain has been reluctant to set out any plans to commemorate the country’s departure from the EU. Last May it was revealed that Big Ben will not sound its famous ‘bongs’ after a Commons committee led by John Bercow decided it was not an ‘important national event’.

A European Commission spokesman last night said Mr Juncker’s travel plans will be announced a week in advance.

A spokesman for European Council president Donald Tusk, who this week caused outrage after he suggested there would be a ‘special place in hell’ for Brexit campaigners, said he was unaware of any plans for him to spend Brexit night in Ireland.