European leaders pour scorn on British PM’s Brexit plan

The broadly pro-EU Guardian said May had been “humiliated”.

But Tusk said that was now contingent on May reworking her Chequers plan by Ocotber.

Despite Theresa May reiterating that she would not consent to another vote on Brexit, they said there was an “almost unanimous” view among the other leaders that it should go ahead.

“Meanwhile, a “blind” Brexit will simply kick all of the hard decisions into the long grass -but with the United Kingdom already out of the EU”.

But despite all the heated British rhetoric, the EU’s position was not new.

He said their manner “pushes us more into a position where we say the quicker we’re out of this circus, the better”.

He also set an alarming deadline for the Prime Minister saying, “The moment of truth for Brexit negotiations will be the October European Council”.

“We are convinced that we need a deal”. Failing to do so could disrupt the lives of people and business on both sides, and undermine Northern Ireland’s hard-won peace.

“What we can’t compromise on is those fundamentals that we need: a transition period, we need to make sure the common travel area is protected, that the rights of citizens in Northern Ireland are protected and also that we have a legally operable backstop that assures us that a hard Border won’t emerge on the island of Ireland”.

European Union leaders say that is “cherry-picking” on the part of Britain, which would be able to go its own way in services and on other issues such as the freedom of movement of labour.

Now that’s expected to last until the end of 2020 but if there is no deal to avoid the hard border in Ireland and a political declaration outlining future relations then there will be no so-called transition period.

Among these were the topics of a hard border, internal security and migration.

Many business chiefs and investors say a so called “no-deal” Brexit would weaken the West, panic financial markets and block the arteries of trade.

“You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues”.

When asked who would benefit politically if Brexit supporters felt betrayed, Davis said: “Anybody who wants to play the populist card that the elites have let you down”. Brussels is familiar with the theatre of diplomacy, where being seen to hold out to the bitter end can help sell the unpopular back home and some diplomats believe a deal could take until Christmas.

Mr Coveney said: “The consequences of a no-deal Brexit are so damaging and so severe, in particular for Britain, but also having a negative impact on Ireland”.

Sterling slid around more than half a cent against the dollar after the report to a low of $1.3098 before edging slightly higher to last trade at $1.313.

Poll ratings have fallen for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who voted “out” in a 1975 referendum on membership of the then European Community.

Luxembourg’s prime minister Xavier Bettel said: “I know that the Chequers plan is something that was not easy for Theresa May to pass through in her own Government”.

Despite the sombre mood music, Britain and the European Union hinted there could be a way forward. May’s reliance on the Democratic Unionist party for a majority, and her personal conviction that she must not sign up to anything that could threaten the union, makes her reluctant to compromise. The BBC said: “Embarrassing rebuff for PM in Salzburg”.