Brexiteers deserve a special place in hell for campaigning for Britain’s withdrawal from the EU with no plan on how to achieve it, one of Brussels’ most senior figures has said.
Donald Tusk’s explosive comments sparked a furious backlash from UK cabinet ministers and Downing Street at a crucial time for Theresa May, as she attempts to calm Tory Leavers’ opposition to her Brexit deal.
The European Council president also indicated that the Irish border backstop loathed by Brexiteers would not be removed from the withdrawal agreement and that all sides must prepare for a “fiasco” no-deal Brexit.
Tusk said: “I’ve been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit, without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely.”
Rounding off an extraordinary Brussels press statement, Tusk and Irish premier Leo Varadkar were then caught on a hot mic joking that the Polish politician would get “terrible trouble” from Britain for his comments.
As Varadkar predicted, Brexit-backing Commons leader Andrea Leadsom immediately hit out at Tusk.
She told BBC Politics Live: “The man has no manners. I think it’s extremely regrettable, not at all helpful but it’s a matter for him.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock added: ”I’ll never understand this from EU leaders. It’s this sort of arrogance that drives antipathy towards the EU.
“We are a country that upholds the result of democratic votes. Our EU partners need to respect that.”
DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson meanwhile branded Tusk a “devilish, trident-wielding, Euro maniac”.
And May’s spokesman told reporters in Westminster: “I think it is a question for Donald Tusk as to whether he considers the use of that kind of language to be helpful.
“I appreciate that was difficult this morning as he didn’t take any questions.”
Tusk did, however, hold out an olive branch to the prime minister, suggesting a “common solution” to the Brexit impasse is possible and promising to “do everything in my power to find it”.
The president, who acts as a go-between for all EU leaders, also called on the PM to present a “realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse” over the Brexit deal.
Signalling that this would not include a time-limit to the backstop, one of the options being explored by May, Tusk added: “We will not gamble with peace or put a sell-by date on reconciliation. This is why we insist on the backstop.”
His comments after meeting Varadkar suggested the EU is not prepared to abandon Dublin, as May demands reform of the backstop.
The Number 10 spokesman made clear there have to be changes.
“The first thing Donald Tusk said was our most important task was to prevent no-deal. Donald Tusk was clear…his primary objective was to avoid a no-deal.”
Varadkar said that while he was “open to further discussions” with the UK government, the withdrawal agreement emphatically rejected by a 230 vote majority in the Commons last month remained “the best deal possible”.
He said: “I think the events in London and the instability in British politics in recent weeks demonstrates exactly why we need a legal guarantee and a solution that is operable, that we know will work and will last.”
The Irish premier later confirmed he would meet May in Dublin on Friday for further talks.
May was meeting all five Northern Irish parties at Stormont House on Wednesday ahead of talks with Tusk and European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker on Thursday, at which she hopes to get movement on the issue.
She suggested on Tuesday that she is seeking changes to the backstop rather than its total removal from the Brexit deal.
The shift has already sparked fury from Tory Brexiteers, who last week voted for an amendment to May’s plan which stated the backstop would be replaced with “alternative arrangements”.
Meanwhile, many Leave-backers vented their frustrations at Tusk on social media.
MPs who back the so-called Malthouse compromise, which has brought together Tory Remainers and Leavers, have been working with cabinet ministers and officials on what form those alternative arrangements might take.
They insisted the PM had not killed off their initiative with her backing for an “insurance policy” on the Irish border.
And as they prepared to meet for a third day in the Cabinet Office, MPs in the group insisted they remain hopeful she will give serious consideration to the blueprint, which they intend to complete by the end of Wednesday.
With around a dozen civil servants taking part in daily meetings lasting two hours, it is “clear that a lot of government time and effort and brainpower is being invested in this”, they said.