Theresa May was mocked by MEPs as ‘out of her depth’ today after refusing to speak at the European parliament.
Philippe Lamberts, a Belgian who co-chairs the Green group, said the PM was at the ‘very edge of her skills’ and it was ‘starting to show’.
He also jibed that Mrs May would have only ‘further weakened the UK’s position’ if she had agreed to appear at the parliament.
The vicious barbs came as it was confirmed that the next round of Brexit talks will take place on September 25 – slightly later than had been expected.
Philippe Lamberts, a Belgian MEP who co-chairs the Green group, said the PM was at the ‘very edge of her skills’ and it was ‘starting to show’
The PM (pictured watching a game of street cricket with England captain Stuart Broad in Downing Street today) has signed up to discuss her plans for Brexit with leaders of the main groups in the EU parliament
The next round of talks between Brussels’ chief negotiator Michel Barnier and Brexit Secretary David Davis had been due to begin on Monday in Brussels. Last week a row erupted when EU minutes revealed disparaging comments about the British team.
It is thought that Mrs May intends to make a major intervention before that date, potentially on September 21.
The PM has signed up to discuss her plans for Brexit with leaders of the main groups in the EU parliament.
However, she will not give a speech to the whole house.
Mr Lamberts told MEPs today: ‘The impression that I get of her is that she’s a lady out of her depth, meaning that she is reaching the very edge of her skills now.
‘And I think it’s starting to show.’
Mr Lamberts added that if he were May’s adviser he would not want her to address the whole parliament.
‘I think she had more to lose than win by coming. If she were to come to Brussels or Strasbourg I think she’d risk further weakening the UK’s position,’ he said.
Guy Verhofstadt, the EU parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, also waded into the row.
‘Instead of only addressing the Conference of Presidents I would encourage her to address the whole house. Other heads of state have done this in the past,’ he told a press conference today.
‘That can only be helpful because the European Parliament will need to give the green light on the negotiations.’
Reports from Brussels quoted EU sources as saying that the apparent delay to the next round of Brexit talks was agreed to fit in with the UK’s political calendar.
Guy Verhofstadt, the EU parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, also waded into the row saying Mrs May should give a speech to MEPs
But Whitehall sources insisted that the new date had been agreed mutually and stressed that no date had previously been fixed for the talks, with the week of September 18 only pencilled in indicatively and subject to agreement.
The fourth round of talks come less than a month before the crunch October 18 EU summit at which the remaining 27 member states will assess whether sufficient progress has been made to move on to discussions on the future trade partnership.
With Brussels figures voicing frustration at the lack of progress on the key issues surrounding the UK’s withdrawal from the EU – including the Irish border, citizens rights and the expected £50 billion ‘divorce bill’ – Britain is pushing to move to continuous rolling talks.
Ukip MEP Jane Collins said that other members of the European Parliament were ‘predominantly opposed to a good deal for Britain based purely on political spite rather than sensible economics’.
A Government spokesman said both sides had settled on the date for talks resuming.