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Jean-Claude Juncker's chief of staff denies May dinner leaks Juncker rejects claim May begged for help at dinner meeting
(about 4 hours later)
The European commission president’s chief of staff has denied being behind leaks of conversations at Theresa May’s recent dinner meeting in Brussels, and warned that others were seeking to “frame” the EU and undermine “constructive relations” between Brussels and Downing Street over Brexit. Jean-Claude Juncker has rushed to salvage relations with Downing Street at a dangerous point in the Brexit negotiations by denying claims that the prime minister had begged for help at a recent private dinner, instead insisting she had been in “good shape” and “fighting”.
An account of the dinner on 16 October, which was published in a German newspaper, describes May “begging for help” and appearing “anxious”, “tormented”, “despondent and discouraged”. The European commission president’s comments came hours after his chief of staff, Martin Selmayr, felt the need to publicly deny being the source of an account of the meal in Brussels, published in a German newspaper. The report had described May as pleading for her political life at the dinner on 16 October and appearing “anxious”, “tormented”, “despondent and discouraged”.
Jean-Claude Juncker’s aide Martin Selmayr tweeted on Monday that he had nothing to do with the article, after Nick Timothy, May’s most senior aide until he resigned after the general election, blamed Selmayr for the disclosures. Juncker, on a visit to Strasbourg University, said the claims and comments attributed to him in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) were untrue. His public denunciation is indicative of a growing fear in Brussels that a narrative is being built in which the EU will be blamed for provoking a “no deal” scenario.
“After constructive [European] council meeting, Selmayr does this. Reminder that some in Brussels want no deal or a punitive one,” Timothy tweeted. “I am really surprised – if not shocked – about what has been written in the German press,” he said. “And of course repeated by the British press. Nothing is true in all of this. I had an excellent working dinner with Theresa May. She was in good shape, she was not tired, she was fighting as is her duty so everything for me was OK.”
Selmayr said Juncker had not made comments attributed to him and said none of the commission president’s staff had briefed details to the newspaper, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). Asked whether May, who is struggling to keep her divided cabinet together, had begged for help in selling a divorce bill of €60bn, he responded: “No, that’s not the style of British prime ministers.”
“This is false. I know it does’t fit your cliché, @NickJTimothy. But @JunckerEU & I have no interest in weakening PM,” tweeted Selmayr, who is widely regarded as one of the most powerful figures in Brussels. Later in a speech at Strasbourg University, Juncker again insisted that the prime minister had not appeared tired, but was working for a good deal. However, he added of the financial settlement: “We must know what will be the bill of commitments that the Brits are taking.”
Juncker’s aide Martin Selmayr had tweeted earlier on Monday that he had nothing to do with the contentious report after Nick Timothy, May’s most senior aide until he resigned after the general election, blamed him for the disclosures. “After constructive [European] council meeting, Selmayr does this. Reminder that some in Brussels want no deal or a punitive one,” Timothy had tweeted.
Selmayr wrote in response: “This is false. I know it does’t fit your cliché, @NickJTimothy. But @JunckerEU & I have no interest in weakening PM.”
He went on: “But it seems some have interest in undermining constructive relations @JunckerEU & PM May. Who? is the real question.He went on: “But it seems some have interest in undermining constructive relations @JunckerEU & PM May. Who? is the real question.
“I deny that 1/we leaked this; 2/Juncker ever said this; 3/we are punitive on Brexit. It’s an attempt 2 frame EU side & 2 undermine talks.”“I deny that 1/we leaked this; 2/Juncker ever said this; 3/we are punitive on Brexit. It’s an attempt 2 frame EU side & 2 undermine talks.”
The FAZ article says Juncker, who had a debrief with the article 50 taskforce after the dinner, described the meal to his colleagues. I deny that 1/we leaked this; 2/Juncker ever said this; 3/we are punitive on Brexit. It's an attempt 2 frame EU side & 2 undermine talks. https://t.co/pGhCxExpHu
In an unusual step, his chief spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas, also said Juncker had not made the observations detailed in the report. He suggested that unnamed people were seeking to undermine the EU’s negotiating position, adding that they should “leave us alone”. The FAZ article says Juncker, who had a debrief with the article 50 taskforce after the dinner, described the meal to his colleagues, suggesting a wide cast of people had access to the information.
In an unusual step, Juncker’s chief spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas, had also insisted that the commission president had not made the observations detailed in the report. He suggested that unnamed people were seeking to undermine the EU’s negotiating position, adding that they should “leave us alone”.
Schinas said: “Some people like to point at us to serve their own political agendas, their own political priorities, or even to undermine our negotiating position. We would appreciate it if these people would leave us alone. We have lots of work and no time for gossip.Schinas said: “Some people like to point at us to serve their own political agendas, their own political priorities, or even to undermine our negotiating position. We would appreciate it if these people would leave us alone. We have lots of work and no time for gossip.
“I have to be very clear that President Juncker would never use the words attributed to him and never have said anything like this. We have never been punitive on Brexit. We have said at all levels on many occasions that we were working for a fair deal.”“I have to be very clear that President Juncker would never use the words attributed to him and never have said anything like this. We have never been punitive on Brexit. We have said at all levels on many occasions that we were working for a fair deal.”
After last week’s dinner, a joint statement had been released agreeing to accelerate Brexit talks. It described the meal as having taken place in a “constructive and friendly atmosphere”. Juncker promised to give a “postmortem” of the meal to reporters, but no other details emerged during the week.After last week’s dinner, a joint statement had been released agreeing to accelerate Brexit talks. It described the meal as having taken place in a “constructive and friendly atmosphere”. Juncker promised to give a “postmortem” of the meal to reporters, but no other details emerged during the week.
On Sunday, however, FAZ claimed that when May came to Brussels she had “begged for help”. It said she emphasised to Juncker the risk she had taken in “giving up the hard Brexit course and asking for a transitional period of two years, in which everything is going to be the same”. However, on Sunday FAZ claimed that when May came to Brussels she had “begged for help”. It said she emphasised to Juncker the risk she had taken in “giving up the hard Brexit course and asking for a transitional period of two years, in which everything is going to be the same”.
May was reported to have recalled “that she had also moved on the delicate issue of finances”. The paper added: “And she let them know that friend and foe at home were breathing down her neck, waiting for her to fall. She said she had no room for manoeuvre, and that the Europeans would have to make it for them.”May was reported to have recalled “that she had also moved on the delicate issue of finances”. The paper added: “And she let them know that friend and foe at home were breathing down her neck, waiting for her to fall. She said she had no room for manoeuvre, and that the Europeans would have to make it for them.”
The article went on: “The prime minister is drawn from the struggle with her own party. Under her eyes she wears deep rings. She looks like someone who does not sleep through the night.”The article went on: “The prime minister is drawn from the struggle with her own party. Under her eyes she wears deep rings. She looks like someone who does not sleep through the night.”
The newspaper claimed that, despite denials from Downing Street, the meal had been arranged at the last minute. It reported a senior source suggesting that “to break the deadlock on money, May must explain to the Brits why a chaotic Brexit would cost more than Brussels’s bill”. The newspaper claimed that, despite denials from Downing Street, the meal had been arranged at the last minute.
It added: “And how will that work? From now on, any bad news would be good for Brexit, says the man. The gloomier the prospects, the more likely the UK will be to open its wallet.”
It was claimed that the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, also told May in a phone call before the European council summit on Thursday and Friday that Berlin was not willing to solve Britain’s problems.It was claimed that the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, also told May in a phone call before the European council summit on Thursday and Friday that Berlin was not willing to solve Britain’s problems.
At the summit, EU leaders ruled that insufficient progress had been made in the negotiations for Brussels to open talks on a future trading relationship with Britain. There were, however, warm words for May from Merkel and the president of the European council, Donald Tusk.At the summit, EU leaders ruled that insufficient progress had been made in the negotiations for Brussels to open talks on a future trading relationship with Britain. There were, however, warm words for May from Merkel and the president of the European council, Donald Tusk.
This was an attempt by the EU to bolster the prime minister, according to the article. “Better to negotiate with a realistic May than with the dream-merchant [ Boris] Johnson – that is the calculation on the continent,” it said referring to the UK foreign minister and key Brexiter. A No 10 spokesman denied the meal had been arranged in haste, but refused to be drawn on any other aspect of the article, including suggestions that she had begged for help.
A No 10 spokesman denied the meal had been arranged in haste, but refused to be drawn on any other aspect of the article. Also attending the meal with Juncker and May was the Brexit secretary, David Davis, the prime minister’s chief Brexit adviser, Olly Robbins, and the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier. Also attending the meal with Juncker and May, was the Brexit secretary, David Davis, the prime minister’s chief Brexit adviser, Olly Robbins, and the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier
The spokesman said: “I have no comment on it whatsoever. One of the people who was present has denied this morning that the European commission president ever said it. And I would point you to what is on the record, which is a joint statement by the European commission and by Downing Street which says that the talks last week [at the dinner] were constructive and friendly. I have nothing to add to that.” Earlier this year, Selmayr was accused of leaking to FAZ details of a private dinner in April between May and Juncker at Downing Street, which the commission president was said to have left “10 times more sceptical” than when he arrived.
Selmayr was accused of leaking to FAZ details of a private dinner in April between May and Juncker at Downing Street, which the commission president was said to have left “10 times more sceptical” than when he arrived.