'The only question is how much you owe': Top Eurocrat says Brexit negotiations are 'damage limitation' for UK as PM's former aide admits Article 50 was triggered too early

  • French former commissioner Pascal Lamy dismissed UK position in negotiations
  • Said 'truth' was only issues are 'damage limitation' and 'how much you owe'
  • Comments come as PM urges EU leaders to make progress in Brussels summit
  • Former No10 communications chief admits Article 50 was triggered too early

Brexit negotiations are nothing more than 'damage limitation' and the only question is how much Britain will pay, a top Eurocrat said today.

Pascal Lamy, a former minister in France and EU commissioner, insisted the UK had to recognise the 'truth' that it had no leverage.

The dismissive comments risk inflaming tensions at a crucial stage in talks over Brexit, with the two sides in deadlock over money.

The Prime Minister is attending an EU summit where she will urge fellow leaders to help revive the negotiations.

Pascal Lamy, a former minister in France and EU commissioner, insisted the UK had to recognise the 'truth' that it had no leverage

Pascal Lamy, a former minister in France and EU commissioner, insisted the UK had to recognise the 'truth' that it had no leverage

But the UK accepts there is no chance of getting authorisation for trade talks to start - with haggling over the divorce bill at the heart of the standoff.

Mr Lamy, who also served as head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), painted a bleak picture of Britain's prospects. 

'The fundamental difference between the UK vision of what this is about and the Franco-German view is that the British still think this is a negotiation.' he told the Financial Times.

'It is not a negotiation. It is a process to be managed to minimise harm. It involves adjusting.' 

He added: 'They still seem to believe they can buy something with the money they have to pay

'The truth is there is nothing to discuss... The only question is how much do you owe.'

Meanwhile, Mrs May's former director of communications Katie Perrior has admitted that the government weakened its position by invoking Article 50 too early.

She suggested that meant Britain had to accept the EU's schedule for the talks, with the divorce bill coming before trade. 

'We probably should have taken much more time at the beginning to trigger Article 50,' Ms Perrior told ITV.

Germany is playing hardball in public, insisting it is not interested in a deal unless the UK offers written guarantees it will make a 'divorce payment'.

Michael Fuchs, vice-chair of Angela Merkel's CDU party, said today that he believed the figure should be between 60billion and 100billion euros.

But a draft paper by the German foreign ministry suggests Berlin is privately anxious to secure a 'comprehensive' trade deal with one of its largest trading partners. 

Britain is said to be fighting calls to pay 11billion euros towards pensions for EU officials, saying the true figure should be more like 3.5billion.

Theresa May, pictured at PMQs in the Commons yesterday, is attending a crucial EU summit in Brussels today

Theresa May, pictured at PMQs in the Commons yesterday, is attending a crucial EU summit in Brussels today

A draft paper by the German foreign ministry suggests Berlin (Chancellor Angela Merkel pictured) is privately anxious to secure a ¿comprehensive¿ trade deal with one of its largest trading partners

A draft paper by the German foreign ministry suggests Berlin (Chancellor Angela Merkel pictured) is privately anxious to secure a 'comprehensive' trade deal with one of its largest trading partners

The dispute could be brought up at a dinner for the bloc's leaders tonight, where Mrs May is expected to make an intervention on Brexit.

The EU is desperate to avoid reopening carefully set budget plans, with countries like Germany refusing to pay more and net recipients saying they will not accept less. 

But Downing Street is adamant the PM will not make any further concessions on the divorce bill at this stage, after she offered to contribute 20billion euros during a two-year transition and said the UK would honour 'commitments' potentially totalling tens of billions more.

The pensions row is not over the principle of the UK helping meet the costs, but about how the liabilities are calculated.