Guy Verhofstadt launched his attack after Michel Barnier had appealed for calm

Boris Johnson is the “real traitor” who blames everyone except himself for Britain’s political deadlock, one of the European Union’s Brexit negotiators said today.

Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian leader and the European parliament’s negotiator, launched his personal attack on the prime minister shortly after a call from Michel Barnier for both the EU and British sides to show respect for each other.

Mr Verhofstadt said that Mr Johnson was not interested in getting a new withdrawal agreement but would rather create scapegoats for a no-deal Brexit.

“It is a blame game. A blame game against everybody. A blame game against the EU, against Ireland, against Mrs Merkel, against the British judicial system, against Labour, against Lib Dems, even Mrs May,” he told MEPs.

“The