Theresa May accuses EU leaders of trying influence June snap election result

Theresa May has raised the stakes in Downing Street's war of words with Brussels as she accused European officials of seeking to influence the result of next month's election.
Prime Minister Theresa MayPrime Minister Theresa May
Prime Minister Theresa May

Speaking outside Number 10 following an audience with the Queen, the Prime Minister suggested recent interventions by EU leaders – including negative briefings to the press – had been “deliberately timed” to affect the June 8 vote.

She went on to suggest that the determination among some figures to see talks fail was further evidence of the need for Britain to elect a “strong and stable” government.

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But her opponents were quick to label her comments as “irresponsible”, with Labour MPs accusing Mrs May of shameless “electioneering”.

Addressing the nation to mark the formal beginning of the snap election campaign, Mrs May said the choice facing voters next month “is all about the future”.

“Whoever wins [in June] will face one overriding task: to get the best possible deal for this United Kingdom from Brexit,” she said.

She added that last few days – which have seen the language coming out of Brussels taken an increasingly hostile tone – show “just how tough these talks are likely to be”.

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“Britain’s negotiating position in Europe has been misrepresented in the continental press. The European Commission’s negotiating stance has hardened. Threats against Britain have been issued by European politicians and officials,” she said. 

“All of these acts have been deliberately timed to affect the result of the general election that will take place on 8 June.”

The provocative speech followed an earlier press conference by the EU’s chief negotiator Michael Barnier, in which he claimed it was an “illusion” to think the Brexit process will be quick or painless.

Presenting the Union’s draft negotiating guidelines, Mr Barnier warned that the EU and UK’s positions were “very different” in some areas, and there could be “explosive” consequences if Britain fails to meets its financial obligations to the trading bloc.

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The speech also came off the back of reports that European Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker had accused Mrs May of being “in a different galaxy” on Brexit after a private dinner in Downing Street last week.

German newspapers quoted EU sources who described the Prime Minister as “deluded” and put the chances of Brexit talks failing at “over 50 percent”.

Mrs May this afternoon expressed her desire to maintain a positive tone in negotiations in order to secure a “deep and special” future relationship with the Union.

She claimed “Britain means no harm to our friends and allies on the continent” and wants to see the EU “succeed”.

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But she added that “the events of the last few days have shown that – whatever our wishes, and however reasonable the positions of Europe’s other leaders – there are some in Brussels who do not want these talks to succeed”.

“So now more than ever we need to be led by a Prime Minister and a Government that is strong and stable,” she said.

Responding to the speech, the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon labelled Mrs May’s comments “deeply irresponsible”. “Making a bogeyman of EU is all about distracting attention from [the] Tories’ wider record,” she said.

Labour MP and Open Britain campaigner Chuka Umunna accused the Prime Minister of “straightforward, crude electioneering”.

While Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn lambasted Mrs May for “playing party games with Brexit”. “Brexit is too important to be used as a political game in this election,” he said.