AG百家乐在线官网

Theresa May has launched an unexpectedly blunt attack on Angela Merkel in the first clash of the UK's Brexit negotiations with the EU.

In a marked change of tone for the Prime Minister, she said the German Chancellor had shown how tough the negotiations would be at times.

Mrs May hit out in an election campaign speech in Leeds after Mrs Merkel told the German Parliament the UK's divorce bill must be settled before Brexit talks.

Answering questions after her speech, the Prime Minister also backed Boris Johnson after he was criticised for suggesting the UK would back Donald Trump if he launched US airstrikes on Syria.

Earlier, the German Chancellor put the EU on a potential collision course with the Prime Minister by claiming it made "no sense" to negotiate a future UK-EU relationship without first reaching agreement on the UK's financial commitment to the trading bloc.

"Countries with a third country status - and that's what Great Britain will be - cannot and will not have the same or even more rights as a member of the European Union," she said.

"You may think that all this is self-evident. But I have to put this so clearly because I get the impression that some in Great Britain still have illusions about this and that is a waste of time."

Hours later, Mrs May hit back in her speech: "We have seen Chancellor Merkel's comments today. She says the UK has 'illusions' about the process and that the 27 member states of the European Union agree.

"We can see how tough those negotiations are going to be at times.

"Yet our opponents are already seeking to disrupt those negotiations, at the same time as 27 other European countries line up to oppose us.

"That approach can only mean one thing, uncertainty and instability, bringing grave risk to our growing economy with higher taxes, fewer jobs, more waste and more debt.

"So we need the strongest possible hand, the strongest possible mandate and the strongest possible leadership as we go into those talks."

The Prime Minister's toughened stance against Mrs Merkel was almost certainly due to the fact that she is now in an election campaign and wants to adopt a more robust tone for voters and Tory supporters.

But it was in marked contrast to her more measured comments up until now and her cordial greeting for EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Downing Street just 24 hours earlier, when she kissed him on both cheeks.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

0:33

Quizzed by journalists about possible UK backing for US airstrikes on Syria if Donald Trump asked for her support, the Prime Minister said the question was hypothetical.

But asked if Mr Johnson would remain Foreign Secretary after the election, she smiled loudly and declared to loud cheers: "Boris is doing a great job as Foreign Secretary.

"What Boris has been doing, and doing very well, is working diplomatically with the international community, with the G7, and with others as well."

Mrs May was speaking in the constituency represented by Labour giant Denis Healey for 40 years and said: "I know this city is one of the places that people call a 'traditional Labour area'.

"But here, and in every constituency across the country, it may say Labour on the ballot, but it's Jeremy Corbyn that gets the vote."

When she mentioned Mr Corbyn in her speech there was barely any reaction from her audience of Tory activists.

But when she mentioned Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, the audience booed loudly.

Responding to the Mrs May's attack on Mrs Merkel, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "Theresa May has betrayed the national interest by opting for a disastrous hard Brexit that will wreck our economy.

"Now she is posturing to try and win votes at home instead of building bridges abroad with our allies in Europe.

"It is shameless opportunism that has nothing to do with May's hand in the Brexit talks and everything to with attempting a naked power grab."