British Prime Minister Theresa May shares a laugh with a worker AFPTheresa May tried to reassure us all in a speech last week that the good ship Brexit was steaming ahead towards a bright future – but the EU doesn’t seem to be buying it.

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A document drawn up by the council of the EU general secretariat, seen by the Guardian claimed that ‘zero progress’ has been made towards a customers deal.

It also scathingly dismissed Theresa May’s speech as ‘a change in tone, but not in substance’ and accused her of ‘double cherry-picking’.


The leaked document suggested that Mrs May was more concerned with papering over the cracks in the Conservative party than addressing the EU.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (R) meets with Prime Minister Theresa May in Brussels, Belgium (Picture: Getty)

The document said, ‘Like with PM May’s previous speeches, she addressed more her domestic audience, trying to bridge the gaps between the two poles of the debate on Brexit in the UK



‘While the speech was long on aspirations, it was short on workable solutions that would respect the EU27 principles.’

European Council president Donald Tusk is holding a press conference today in Luxembourg on the draft guidelines for the future relationship with the UK.

Philip Hammond will tell European leaders that including Britain’s lucrative financial services sector in a Brexit deal is in the ‘mutual interest’ of the UK and the EU.

Philip Hammond is to make a speech today EPA

In his speech, the Chancellor will point out the EU had previously sought ‘ambitious financial services co-operation’ in trade negotiations with Canada and the United States.

Mr Hammond will say: ‘Our markets are already deeply interconnected and we have demonstrated how we can work together over the past decade as we have repaired and defended the financial stability of our continent.

‘If it could be done with Canada or the USA, it could be done with the UK – the EU’s closest financial services partner by far.

‘So I am clear not only that it is possible to include financial services within a trade deal but that it is very much in our mutual interest to do so.’