German paper's damning account of Prime Minister's talks with European boss

[Denzil_DC]

This account is from Twitter Moments, which gathers together tweets on a certain theme to make them easier to follow.

After Prime Minister Theresa May spoke with Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, an account of the meeting was published in a German newspaper. The Berlin bureau chief at The Economist, Jeremy Cliffe, explained what it said. A UK Government spokesman has since said they did "not recognise this account" of the meeting.

One suspects the government spokesman wouldn't recognize his arse without satnav.


http://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/brexit/eu-kommission-skeptisch-vor-brexit-verhandlungen-14993673.html

Link to tweet

Jeremy Cliffe ✔ @JeremyCliffe

Today's FAZ report on May's disastrous dinner with Juncker - briefed by senior Commission sources - is absolutely damning.

Jeremy Cliffe ✔ @JeremyCliffe

1) May had said she wanted to talk not just Brexit but also world problems; but in practice it fell to Juncker to propose one to discuss.

Link to tweet

Jeremy Cliffe ✔ @JeremyCliffe

2) May has made clear to the Commission that she fully expects to be reelected as PM.

Link to tweet

Jeremy Cliffe ✔ @JeremyCliffe

3) It is thought {in the Commission} that May wants to frustrate the daily business of the EU27, to improve her own negotiating position.

Link to tweet

Jeremy Cliffe ✔ @JeremyCliffe

4) May seemed pissed off at {David} Davis for regaling her dinner guests of his ECJ case against her data retention measures - three times.

Cliffe's full - and predictably disturbing - tweeted summary of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung article is here: https://twitter.com/i/moments/858943560594235393

[Denzil_DC]

1. Abimay's Dinner's been getting a fair bit of media coverage since this was posted.

Here's a decent translation of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that kicked it all off:

The Brexit dinner

On Wednesday evening, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker visited the Prime Minister Theresa May. Many important things were to be discussed, but both sides missed each other’s points. When Juncker left, he said he was ten times more sceptical than before. By Thomas Gutschker.

Jean-Claude Juncker has witnessed many difficult negotiations. For months on end the President of the European Commission fought with Alexis Tsipras for Greece to meet its obligations. And ever since the refugee crisis he has been fighting with Viktor Orbán over European solidarity. Juncker is the kind of man who, even after the toughest conversations, will amicably clap their conversation partner on the shoulders and say we’ll find a solution. The President of the European Commission had left the British Prime Minister’s official residence on Wednesday evening after a memorable meeting. He had received a friendly welcome but while everyone had remained calm he did not feel like issuing calming words. Juncker was deeply shocked, and he made no secret of it. “I’m leaving Downing Street ten times more sceptical than I was before”, he said to his host as he left.

Ten times more sceptical than before — even Juncker’s companions were astonished at these words. They had never heard their boss use such words. Not even in the most difficult hours, of which there have been many during his presidency. Of course everyone had flown to London feeling rather sceptic. However a glimmer of hope had remained that the British government was gradually realising how much of a fundamental decision Brexit was and what tremendous problems it would raise. May’s letter formally notifying the EU in late March of Britain’s exit had given reason for such hope. For the first time ever, she had admitted that London would lose certain advantages from leaving the common market. And when a draft of the EU’s Article 50 guidelines became known to the public, she had also reacted moderately. She thought the guidelines were reasonable — even though she didn’t agree with them. In addition to this, the highly regarded Civil Service — the Crown’s best civil servants — had done incredible work by compiling several files concerning Brexit negotiations that had showed both expertise and fairness. Would May now show herself from a new side — pragmatic and willing to compromise?

The Prime Minister had invited Juncker after surprisingly calling for a new election. He debated whether he should visit so shortly before the elections, but it was also shortly before the EU summit regarding Brexit was to take place. So he decided to go. As President of the European Commission he represents all 28 states, and so it only seemed right and proper to hear the British point of view before the 27 remaining states would convene in Brussels. Up until then he had adhered strictly to the guidelines he had issued: no negotiations about Brexit before formal notice had been given. He had made this clear at a lunch during May’s first visit as Prime Minister in October. Both sides agreed that at least their heads of cabinet — German Martin Selmayr representing Juncker and Oliver Robbins for May — should meet every six weeks in order to informally prepare the negotiation process. That was it.

https://medium.com/@20sthredhead/i-translated-that-infamous-german-article-concerning-the-may-juncker-dinner-that-everyones-been-ac5f952b92e