Thanks for the war heroics, says Juncker, but now pay up

JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER yesterday thanked Britain for liberating Europe during the Second World War before warning the UK would have to pay up for Brexit if it wants to begin talks with the EU over trade and a transition deal.

The European Commission president’s demand that Britain meets budget liabilities estimated at £47billion to seal a Brexit deal with Brussels came the day after it emerged that EU leaders were considering taking the first steps towards trade and transition negotiations with Britain.

“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, everywhere and every time, but now they have to pay,” Mr Juncker said to laughter from his audience at a university in his native Luxembourg.

“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, they have to pay,” said Mr Juncker, who has denied having an alcohol problem.

He insisted he was not in a “revenge mood”, but added: “I am the first to be impressed by the numerous disadvantages the Brexit, and Brexit means Brexit, is entailing for the British.”

The fifth round of negotiations ended in deadlock on Thursday with huge divisions remaining between the two camps, particularly over the financial settlement the EU believes could be as high as €100billion (£89billion).

In her Florence speech, Theresa May promised €20billion to ensure no EU member state would pay more or receive less in the current budget cycle, which ends in 2020.

While that brought renewed momentum to negotiations, EU leaders, who meet next week in Brussels, are refusing to start fully fledged talks over transition or trade until the EU judges that “sufficient progress” has been made in the three issues of the cocalled Brexit bill, Ireland and citizens’ rights. According to draft conclusions for the summit, they will call on the European Commission to begin internal preparations for future talks but stop short of allowing fully-fledged negotiations on trade and transition to begin.