Brexit voters 'stupid' and it should be 'reversed' says eu official

Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to EU Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, announced in a conference yesterday the democratic decision to leave the EU could be stopped. Speaking in

Brussels, Mr Selmayr said: “Brexit is bad, and it’s a stupid decision. The only people who can reverse it would be the British people and I am not a dreamer, I am a realist. Brexit will

happen on March 29, 2019.” The German lawyer added that it would be “arrogant of us” to say the EU could force a reversal to happen. The comments come after the EU's chief negotiator

Michel Barnier said he needed to "teach" Britons what leaving the EU means, as voters didn't know what leaving the single market meant. He later backtracked to say he meant

Brexit was an "occasion to explain single market benefits in all countries". Mr Selmyar's comments have been described as “pig-headed” and an attempt to interfere in the

forthcoming Parliamentary vote on the EU Withdrawal Bill. Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: “His comments amount to a pig-headed denial in Brussels that Brexit is happening and a desire

to be uncooperative at every step of the way. “He is directly appealing to the Tory rebels and the Labour Party and doing his best to upset the Parliamentary process.” The bill will come

before Parliament for its second reading on Thursday ahead of a crucial vote, which Labour could use to amend or delay the bill. Chancellor Phillip Hammond told Tory rebels who might vote

with Labour that it is "not the time” to disrupt Brexit. Mr Hammond told the BBC: "I would say to backbenchers who are thinking about seeking to amend or delay the withdrawal bill,

that now is not the time to disrupt this vitally important piece of enabling legislation. “We are making progress in our discussions with the European Union. We are mapping out a course for

Britain’s future. I am confident that we will be able to achieve the kind of strategic partnership that we want with the European Union as an independent country post-Brexit in 2019."

Leading Tory Remainer Anna Soubry said any suggestion rebels would vote against the bill was “nonsense”, but that she would support “sensible” amendments at a later date. She is unhappy with

the so-called “Henry VIII powers” in the Great Repeal Bill. The Great Repeal Bill would enshrine European law into British Common Law, but it also allows the Government to amend legislation

without votes in Parliament. Downing Street said it wanted the next round of Brexit negotiations later this month to “intensify” to make sure that a deal is reached by the time Britain

leaves the EU in March 2019. European Parliament’s chief negotiator Guy Vehofstadt suggested the talks could be delayed because Theresa May will make a major speech on Britain’s relationship

with the EU later this month. This is the Prime Minister’s most important speech since January as she will set out a far more detailed vision of Britain’s future relationship with the EU

than previously. But Downing Street has said the speech will not contain any mention of figures relating to the Brexit “divorce bill”.