May and Tusk agree work needed to lower tensions after Gibraltar clash

● Prime Minister hosts ‘friendly’ talks but stands firm on Rock’s sovereignty

The UK and the EU must both work to “lower tensions” after a week of awkward confrontation over Gibraltar, Theresa May and European Council President Donald Tusk have agreed in the first face-to-face talks since Article 50 was triggered.

Following a two-hour meeting at Downing Street, EU sources said both leaders accepted the need to tone down the rhetoric following the posturing over the future of the Rock.

However, Downing Street later said the Prime Minister had made clear to Mr Tusk that there could be no change to the status of the British enclave without the consent of its people.

In a draft set of guidelines for upcoming Brexit talks, Mr Tusk last week suggested that Spain could be given a veto over how any future trade deal between the UK and the EU would apply to Gibraltar.

It sparked fury on the Rock, where the Chief Minister accused the EU of “bullying” and behaving like a “cuckolded husband”. Former Conservative Party leader Lord Howard even suggested Mrs May could go to war, forcing Downing Street to deny it would send a naval taskforce to defend the territory.

0 Theresa May and Donald Tusk shake on it outside Downing Street yesterday “good and friendly” meeting. “They agreed to stay in regular contact throughout the Brexit process to keep a constructiveapproachandseekto lower tensions that may arise, also when talks on some issues like Gibraltar inevitably will become difficult,” one source was quoted as saying.

Number 10 added that “both leaders agreed that the tone of discussions had been positive on both sides and agreed that they would seek to remain in close touch as the negotiations progressed.”