Verhoftsadt describes Brexit as Tory 'catfight that got out of hand'

Brexit was described as a “catfight in the Conservative Party that got out of hand” by the European Parliament's chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt.

Speaking in a debate on the European Union's draft guidelines for talks on Britain's departure from the bloc, Verhofstadt suggested that “perhaps it was always impossible to unite Great Britain with the continent”.

“Let’s not forget: Britain entered the union as the ‘sick man of Europe’ and - thanks to the single market - came out of the other side. Europe made Britain also punch above its weight in terms of geopolitics, as in the heydays of the British empire,” he said on Wednesday.

“I am also sure that - one day or another - there will be a young man or woman who will try again, who will lead Britain into the European family once again. A young generation that will see Brexit for what it really is: a catfight in the Conservative party that got out of hand, a loss of time, a waste of energy, stupidity.”

Earlier in the debate, chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said he expected talks to be “transparent”, adding that demands for Britain to honour its financial commitments was just “settling the accounts – no more no less”.

“A single financial settlement, as a result of UK commitments to the EU, and the EU commitments to the UK, there your resolution is very clear. We do not seek to punish the UK but simply ask the UK to deliver on its commitments and undertakings as a member of the EU," he said.

Pro-Brexit supporters have bridled at suggestions that the UK will be hit with a large final bill to be reconciled before progress is made on any other issues.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May last week invoked Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which started the formal process of extricating Britain from thousands of pieces of EU legislation and agreements in return for control over immigration after a referendum last June.

May demanded that exit talks be held in parallel with discussions on a new trade agreement. This was firmly slapped down on Friday when the EU published its own guidelines for negotiations.

The EU said any talks on a future relationship could only take place in progress had been made on settling the accounts, the future of expatriates in the UK and rest of the bloc, the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland and business laws.

Barnier told MEPs that the UK position was a "very risky approach", adding that "to succeed, we need on the contrary to devote the first phase of negotiations exclusively to reaching agreement on the principle of the exit'.'

“We are not proposing this to be tactical or to create difficulties for the UK. On the contrary, it is an essential condition to maximise the chance of reaching an agreement together in two years, which is very short. It is also our best chance to build trust. To build trust before proceeding to the second phase of negotiations.”