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Jean-Claude Juncker today stepped up his war of words with Theresa May by joking English was no longer an important language in Europe.

The President of the European Commission told a conference in Italy that Brexit was a “tragedy” and said the UK was “abandoning” the EU .

Mr Juncker said he was making his remarks in French because “slowly but surely, English is losing importance in Europe.”

He added: “Of course we will negotiate with our British friends in full transparency. But there should be no doubt whatsoever about the idea that it is the EU that is abandoning the UK. It is the opposite in fact. It is the UK that is abandoning the EU.

(Image: Reuters)

“Now growth in the EU is twice that in the US and I feel we can be reassured as far as the immediate future is concerned.

“And at that point - despite the success, despite the growth - our British friends decided to leave the EU, which is a tragedy,” he told the conference in Florence.

Mrs May lashed out at Mr Juncker this week by accusing the European Commission of trying to sabotage the general election result.

Despite an appeal for calm by EU Council President Donald Tusk , there were no signs of truce today.

(Image: Getty)

Michael Fallon said European officials should “keep their views to themselves” and David Davis said Brussels was trying to bully British voters.

The Defence Secretary hit out at “one-sided leaking” from commission officials as he defended Mrs May’s scathing Brexit attack on senior bloc figures.

Asked if it would be easier if Mr Tusk and others did not comment on negotiations, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC : “It’d certainly be easier if commission officials kept their views to themselves and not further complicate what is already going to be a tough negotiation.

(Image: Rex Features)

“But what’s clear from Theresa May’s reaction is that she is prepared, whatever the commission officials are doing in Brussels, to stand up for Britain’s vital national interest in these very complicated talks.”

The plea came hours after Brexit Secretary Mr Davis said “the line was crossed” when further stories appeared suggesting that Britain would be hit with a 100billion euro divorce bill - double previous estimates.

Mr Davis also backed Mrs May’s response as he claimed the commission was “trying to bully the British people”, adding on BBC One’s Question Time : “The British people will not be bullied, and the Government will not allow them to be bullied.”