Theresa May sidelined at EU summit as PM faces Brexit snub and silence

Sidelined: Theresa May in Brussels
Rex Features
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Britain paid a new price for Brexit today as Theresa May was cast into the sidelines of her first EU summit.

In a snub to the Prime Minister, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker threw his hands in the air with a dismissive “pfff” when asked how her debut at a dinner had gone.

Mrs May’s first speech to a full EU summit was relegated to the end of a six-hour dinner and was met by silence, with leaders adhering to their refusal to discuss Brexit until the UK starts exit procedures by moving Article 50.

Mr Juncker, who was due to have a private lunch with Mrs May after the other leaders had gone home this afternoon, said: “We had no special event with Theresa May yesterday.

“She was explaining what her intentions are. I’ll have lunch with her and then we will see what happens.”

Mrs May, marking her 100th day in office, had no private meetings with other leaders this morning, in contrast with past summits when her predecessors usually negotiated at bilateral talks with other big players.

It emerged she was forced to protest during last night’s dinner that the other 27 leaders were trying to make decisions without her.

According to a diplomat, she said: “I accept that 27 needs to meet, but I want the UK to play an active part. Thus, we should meet as 28, otherwise it will be hard for me to accept things you agreed among yourselves. I expect to be fully involved in all discussions related to the EU 28.”

The other 27 have held two informal meetings without the UK since the June referendum for Brexit. Another is planned in Malta in January. But Mrs May’s plea was angrily rejected by a senior German MEP. Manfred Weber, the chairman of the European People’s Party, hit out at the UK for blocking long-term measures to beef up EU military and cyber-warfare defences.

He told BBC Radio 4: “It’s not really normal that a member who wants to leave a club wants to decide about the future of this club. That is really creating a lot of anger, the behaviour of the British Government. It’s totally understandable if we, as Germans, as French, as Italians, think about our — not your, our — long-term project, ‘Please don’t stop it, don’t block it, because that will have a lot of impact on the Brexit negotiations if you do so’.”

There was a more positive response from German chancellor Angela Merkel, who welcomed Mrs May’s assertion that Britain would uphold both rights and duties.

“She said as long as Great Britain hasn’t concluded negotiations it will continue to be a member with all rights and duties that entails. That was a good piece of news for us,” she said.

Mrs Merkel also expressed approval of Mrs May’s first proper speech, which was left until 1am at the end of the dinner, where she promised to protect the interests of a strong European Union.

“As far as the practical terms are concerned, it is going to be rough-going, I think,” said Mrs Merkel. “It will not be that easy. But what she said today is ok. It is a good foundation on which to continue to work with Great Britain.”

However, the frontrunner in the French presidential race said he would tear up a treaty allowing UK border officials to carry out migration checks in Calais.

Alain Juppe, the bookies’ favourite to succeed François Hollande in next year’s election, said the border should be pushed back to the British side of the Channel where the UK should deal with migrants seeking to enter the country.

He blamed the 2003 Le Touquet agreement, which allows British officials to check passports on French soil, for the creation of the makeshift “Jungle” migrant camp in Calais. Asked whether the border should be moved to Kent, he said: “Of course. Don’t tell me that it’s difficult because the British don’t want it.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in