A bitter clash is looming over who will foot the bill for paying pensions owed to thousands of British Eurocrats when the UK leaves the EU.

Brussels has estimated its pensions liability at €60 billion (£50.7 billion) for all retired and current officials, with annual payments currently at about €1.4 billion (£1.2 billion).

Some 1,730 Britons currently make up almost 8 per cent of the 22,000 retired EU officials.