EU chief Donald Tusk labelled 'devilish, trident wielding, euro maniac' by DUP after extraordinary attack on Brexiteers

Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar and European Council president Donald Tusk have said they will “not gamble with peace” over Theresa May‘s demands on the Northern Ireland backstop. 

In an extraordinary intervention, Mr Tusk lashed out a Brexiteers in the UK, saying: “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.”

His comments sparked a furious reactions from Eurosceptics, with the DUP's Sammy Wilson calling Mr Tusk a "devilish, trident wielding, euro maniac".

Shortly afterwards, Labour's Emily Thornberry, standing in for Jeremy Corbyn at Prime Minister's Questions, called for Article 50 to be extended to allow for more time for negotiations with the EU.

As it happened...

Key Points

• Donald Tusk says 'special place in hell' for Brexiteers who did not have plan for leaving EU
• Labour calls for extension of Article 50
• Theresa May holds talks with Northern Irish parties in Belfast
• Chris Grayling told he is not welcome in Calais

Show latest update

2019-02-06T08:40:50.000Z

Welcome to today's live coverage from Westminster.

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 09:08

2019-02-06T08:55:50.000Z

Theresa May is in Belfast this morning for meetings with the Northern Irish parties as she attempts to find a solution that will ensure there is no hard border after Brexit.

 

The prime minister angered Tory Brexiteers yesterday after suggesting that her plan involved changing the current backstop proposal but not replacing it. 

 

A group of Tory MPs is currently looking at "alternative arrangements" to the backstop but Ms May said she did not expect people to support a withdrawal agreement that did not include some form of insurance policy.

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 09:11

2019-02-06T09:11:50.000Z

Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, has been told he is not welcome in Calais, after the port's chairman labelled him "disrespectful"

 

Chris Grayling told he is not welcome in Calais' after being 'completely disrespectful' during Brexit planning meeting

'It is not fair at all, it is completely disrespectful. I don't want to see him again,' port's chairman says

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 09:27

2019-02-06T09:26:50.000Z

A 59-year-old man has been arrested over threats made to Labour MP Yvette Cooper

 

Man arrested over threats against Labour MP Yvette Cooper

Fifty-nine-year-old from Leeds arrested and bailed pending further advice

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 09:30

2019-02-06T09:51:50.000Z

NEW: Donald Trump is likely to visit the UK again in December to attend a Nato summit that just just been announced by the organisation's secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg.

 

The US president's last visit, in July, was marred by protests.

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 10:03

2019-02-06T10:10:50.000Z

The Polish Embassy has hit out at Labour after the party included footage of far-right parties in Poland in a video on antisemitism.

 

The embassy says Poland is "one of the safest countries in Europe for Jews" and is demanding the video is taken down.

 

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 10:13

2019-02-06T10:22:50.000Z

Nissan has been let down by Brexit ideologues like Jacob Rees-Mogg, writes economics editor Ben Chu

 

Opinion: Nissan has been betrayed by Brexit ideologues like Jacob Rees-Mogg

The ERG prefers conspiracy theories and witch hunts to listening to firms’ worries about trade barriers

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 10:33

2019-02-06T10:38:50.000Z

Greg Clark, the business secretary, has suggested to the Commons business committee that he would resign if the government decides to pursue a no-deal Brexit.

 

He said:

"As long as [getting a deal] remains the policy of the government, I will be a vigorous proponent of that.

But I think it’s obvious to everyone that, if it were ever to be the policy of the government, as a matter of policy, to leave the European Union [without a deal], I think there would be many people on all sides of the House that would regard that as unacceptable."

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 11:03

2019-02-06T11:03:16.000Z

Speaking after meeting Theresa May in Belfast, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Robin Swann said the prime minister had been reluctant to discuss restoring devolution in Northern Ireland.

 

He said:

 

"The conversation we were having with the prime minister was initially about Brexit.

 

We had to drag her to a place were we actually started to talk about how we get these institutions back up and running."

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 11:21

2019-02-06T11:19:16.000Z

My colleague Lizzy Buchan is in Belfast, where Theresa May is holding talks with the Northern Irish parties. It doesn't sound like they are going particularly well...

 

• Benjamin Kentish
• 6 February 2019 11:23

2019-02-06T11:44:47.053Z

Donald Tusk and Leo Varadkar are now speaking in Brussels 

Tusk says the top priority for the EU remains avoiding a hard border in Ireland after Brexit, and avoiding a no-deal. 

"We will not gamble with this," he says, explaining why the commission is insisting on a backstop.

He also pours cold water on the idea of the UK reversing Brexit, saying: "There is no effective force or political leadership for Remain"

He also said of the Brexiteers: “‘I've been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely."

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 11:45

2019-02-06T11:46:32.113Z

Mr Tusk said the EU was not making "any new offer" to the prime minister on the Brexit deal.

Speaking alongside Irish premier Leo Varadkar in Brussels, he said: "The position of the EU27 is clear, as expressed in the documents agreed with the UK Government - that is the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration.

"The EU27 is not making any new offer."

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 11:55

2019-02-06T11:49:43.250Z

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 11:49

2019-02-06T12:05:42.900Z

Prime minister's questions has now started - Theresa May's deputy, David Lidington, is stepping in for the prime minister as she visits Northern Ireland. 

 

Emily Thornberry, who is stepping in for Jeremy Corbyn, is asking the first question, quoting Mr Lidington's position as "effective deputy prime minister". 

 

"The only time effective and the PM are used together these days," she says.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 12:05

2019-02-06T12:08:00.886Z

Thornberry asks what will happen if we approach March and the significant, legally binding changes have not been made to the backstop. 

 

But Lidington says the PM will head to Brussels on Thursday, and discuss the next steps with her counterparts in the EU. 

 

He says the next "meaningful vote" will take place "as soon as possible" 

 

 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 12:08

2019-02-06T12:08:27.780Z

Emily Thornberry calls on David Lidington to seek a temporary extension of Article 50 and extend the negotiations. 

 

She says a full customs union is the "answer staring the government in the face" which will achieve a majority in the House of Commons, and avoid the chaotic scenario of a no-deal Brexit.

 

She says plan A has been rejected and plan B has been dismissed by the European Union, as she accuses the government of "sleepwalking the country into no plan and no deal at all" with just 50 days to go until Brexit.

 

Lidington hits back, saying Thornberry and the Labour frontbench need to "do the right thing" in the national interest and vote for a Brexit deal.

 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 12:18

2019-02-06T12:16:20.656Z

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 12:16

2019-02-06T12:21:34.463Z

EU council president says there is a 'special place in hell' for pro-Brexit campaigners who did not plan for departure

There is a "special place in hell" for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without a plan for making it happen, Donald Tusk has said.

The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit "without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely."

Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU might be willing to reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa May's hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her deal through parliament.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 12:21

2019-02-06T12:27:48.196Z

Emily Thornberry refuses to recognise Guaido as president but acknowledges ‘desperate’ situation in Venezuela

Labour's Emily Thornberry has refused to recognise Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president despite acknowledging the "desperate" situation in the country.

During a speech on foreign policy, the shadow foreign secretary said Venezuela needs "timely and effective" new elections to solve its political crisis but said "there should be no invasion".

However, in a break with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Ms Thornberry backed the use of targeted sanctions and "whatever means necessary" short of a military invasion to bring about change.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 12:27

2019-02-06T12:31:59.010Z

Labour officially calls for Brexit to be delayed

Labour has issued its first official call for Brexit to be delayed, with a request that Theresa May temporarily extends Article 50.

 

The party's deputy leader, Emily Thornberry, made the appeal during the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions, where she was standing in for Jeremy Corbyn.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 6 February 2019 12:32

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