A top EU official has written a scathing 'love letter' to Britain in which he criticises the 'unnecessary damage' caused by Brexit.

Frans Timmermans said Britain was 'perhaps less unique and different than you think' as he declared himself 'deeply hurt' by the UK's decision to quit the bloc.

The European Commission vice-president said there was likely more 'damage' to come after Britain leaves on January 31, which is now almost certain following Boris Johnson's election win.

But Britain would 'always be welcome to come back,' Timmermans wrote in his 'love letter' for the Guardian.

'Love letter': European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans, pictured, declared himself 'deeply hurt' by the UK's decision to quit the EU

EU chief Frans Timmermans' 'love letter' to Britain about Brexit 'You have decided to leave. It breaks my heart, but I respect that decision. You were in two minds about it, like you have always been in two minds about the EU. I wish you had stuck to that attitude, it served you well and it kept all of us in better shape. Was it necessary to force the issue? Not at all. But you did. And the sad thing is, I see it is hurting you. Because the two minds will still be there, even after you have left. In the process so much unnecessary damage has been done to you, and all of us. And I fear more will follow. 'Truth be told, I felt deeply hurt when you decided to leave. Three years later I am just sad that a member of our family wants to sever our ties. But at the same time I find comfort in the thought that family ties can never really be severed. We’re not going away and you will always be welcome to come back.' Advertisement

'Was it necessary to force the issue? Not at all. But you did. And the sad thing is, I see it is hurting you,' said Timmermans, a former Dutch foreign minister.

'In the process so much unnecessary damage has been done to you, and all of us. And I fear more will follow.

'Truth be told, I felt deeply hurt when you decided to leave. Three years later I am just sad that a member of our family wants to sever our ties.'

In the letter Timmermans professed his 'love for Britain', recalling how he attended St George's British International School in Rome as a youngster and appeared in a Gilbert and Sullivan production.

But he added: 'I know you believe yourself to be unique and different. And of course you are in many ways, but perhaps less than you think.'

He said Britain would be welcome to return, but that seems a remote prospect after the Conservatives won a rampant election victory on December 12.

Campaigners for a second referendum conceded defeat after the snap election, in which the Tories won a majority of 80.

Mr Johnson's Brexit deal has already passed its first stage in Parliament and is expected to complete its passage in the New Year.

MEPs will also have to vote on the withdrawal agreement in the European Parliament but they are unlikely to stand in its way.

Pro-Remain parties such as the Liberal Democrats have yet to say whether they will campaign for Britain to return to the EU fold.

The Scottish National Party, which backed a second referendum, now wants another independence poll in Scotland to keep the country in the EU.

Irish premier Leo Varadkar has also previously indicated that Britain could reverse its decision to leave the bloc.

Britain is now set for months of further wrangling with Brussels as the two sides discuss their future trading relationship.

Under the deal, Britain is set to enter a transitional period until December 31, 2020, in which many aspects of policy will remain the same in practice.

Deadline: Brexit is now almost certain to happen on January 31 after Boris Johnson (pictured) swept to victory at the December 12 general election

Mr Johnson has hardened the deadline by vowing not to extend the transitional period and writing that promise into law.

The UK and EU will be looking to agree future relationships on a whole breadth of areas, from financial services to fisheries.

They will also have to finalise the details for keeping Northern Ireland in the single market under the arrangement which replaced the much-derided 'backstop'.

Mr Johnson also hopes to secure a trade deal with the US, and both he and Donald Trump have talked up the prospects of an agreement.

In a boost to Brexiteer hopes, research for the Centre for Economics and Business Research has found that Britain is likely to pull away from France as Europe's second-largest economy in the coming years.

Britain continues to benefit from a strong performance in the technological, pharmaceutical and creative industries, experts say.

However, Britain ceased to be the world’s fifth largest economy in 2019 as fast-growing India raced past.

India is now expected to overhaul Germany in six years and Japan by 2034.

Frans Timmermans was in the reckoning for the European Commission's top job in marathon EU talks earlier this year, but lost out to Ursula von der Leyen.

The Dutchman had been the lead candidate of the Europe-wide Socialists & Democrats in May's European Parliament elections.

Timmermans' alliance came second to Manfred Weber's centre-right bloc, but both lead candidates were overlooked by EU leaders.

The shadowy process even drew criticism from previous president Jean-Claude Juncker, who criticised it as 'not very transparent'.