Guenther Oettinger described David Cameron’s campaign to keep Britain in the EU as “shit”, but added that Brussels had no choice but to accept the decision

Britain’s decision to leave the EU was the result of a “shit campaign” run by David Cameron, Germany’s European commissioner said yesterday.

Günther Oettinger, the telecoms and IT commissioner, said that Brussels would have to face up to the consequences of the Brexit vote.

“We have to accept the democratic decision and the shit campaign of Cameron,” he told a meeting of the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association. “I’m sorry, that’s life and shit happens.”

Mr Oettinger, a member of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat Union, was echoing a view held by Jean-Claude Juncker, the commission’s president.

Meanwhile, Liam Fox gave the clearest indication yet that the government was pursuing a “hard Brexit” strategy by putting free trade deals ahead of staying in the joint European