I’ve been very clear: don’t call me nebulous
May has public war of words with Juncker after criticism that left a cloud over Brussels summit
THERESA MAY ‘What did you call me? You called me nebulous. Yes, you did; nebulous. Nebulous, yes you did’
THERESA MAY had a public meltdown after being snubbed by EU leaders as she angrily confronted Jean-claude Juncker in front of television cameras.
The Prime Minister accused the European Commission President of calling her “nebulous”, clearly taking offence after he criticised her performance at a summit in Brussels.
Mr Juncker told her she was wrong, and later claimed she had backed down and “was kissing me”.
But the filmed exchange at the European Council – described as “robust” by Mrs May – suggested her relationship with EU leaders was at breaking point.
The row stemmed from an off-script late-night press conference given by Mr Juncker in which he said: “We would like within a few weeks our UK friends to set out their expectations for
us, because this debate is sometimes nebulous and imprecise and I would like clarifications.”
Mrs May, who has on occasion been mocked for her repeated use of the phrase “I’ve been very clear”, was understood to be angry because of the language and the fact that Mr Juncker’s comments undermined her strategy, which was to insist talks were ongoing.
It came the day after EU leaders had humiliated her by refusing her request for a legally binding assurance that the Northern Ireland backstop cannot become a never-ending “trap”.
Mrs May tried to repair the damage by claiming she had made progress in the two days of talks, but she will face tough questions in the Commons on Monday about why she has achieved so little. The spat with Mr Juncker capped a dreadful week for the Prime Minister, during which she was forced to postpone the “meaningful vote” on her Brexit deal and was badly wounded by an attempt by her own MPS to oust her. Next week could be equally challenging for Mrs May, as it emerged that Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, will make a speech unveiling her own detailed plans for a “managed” no-deal Brexit.
Ms Mordaunt will make her pitch on the eve of a Cabinet meeting that will be centred on no-deal planning. It will be seen as the beginning of a direct challenge to Mrs May’s authority from within the Cabinet and lead to speculation that Mrs May’s support from ministers is ebbing away. Labour could also try to force a confidence vote against the Government in the Commons within days which, if they are joined by Tory rebels, could mean disaster for Mrs May. During the Prime Minister’s on-air confrontation with Mr Juncker, she accosted him with a look of fury, saying: “What did you call me? You called me nebulous. Yes, you did.”
Mr Juncker asked her to repeat the word, and she said: “Nebulous. Nebulous.”
He replied: “No I didn’t, I didn’t.” To which Mrs May responded: “Yes you did.” She later told reporters: “I had a robust discussion… I think that’s the sort of discussion you are able to have when you develop a working relationship and you work well together.”
Mr Juncker later said: “We were not dancing! I think she thought that I did criticise her by saying the British position was nebulous, but it was about the overall state of the debate in Britain. Having checked what I said yesterday night, she was kissing me.”
During a question-and-answer session with EU leaders on Thursday, Mrs May was accused of expecting her 27 counterparts to come up with ideas for solving the backstop problem, rather than putting forward a plan herself. A succession of leaders told her no “legal” changes could be made to the Withdrawal Agreement, but she said: “We will be holding talks in coming days about how to obtain the further assurances that the UK Parliament needs in order to be able to approve the deal.
“My discussions with colleagues today have shown that further clarification and discussion following the Council’s conclusions is in fact possible.”
JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER ‘No I didn’t, I didn’t’