The European Union has "nothing to gain" from seeing great disruption in the UK as a result of Brexit, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said.

He said the EU has adopted the necessary contingency measures to deal with a no-deal Brexit but that such a scenario would suit nobody.

As Brexit slipped down the agenda in Brussels and Strasbourg, EU Council President Donald Tusk told MEPs the UK would continue to be represented in the European Parliament for "several months - maybe longer".

He disagreed with one of the bloc's premiers who had said the EU should abandon hope of the UK reversing its decision to leave.

"During the European Council one of the leaders warned us not to be dreamers, and that we shouldn't think that Brexit could be reversed," he said.

"I would like to say, at this rather difficult moment in our history, we need dreamers and dreams.

"We cannot give in to fatalism. At least I will not stop dreaming about a better and united Europe."

However, the European Parliament chief Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt expressed his fear that Brexit will "poison" the European elections which take place next month.

Irish Independent