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Juncker says 'nothing is true' about leaks of dinner with Theresa May

A German paper quoted a source as saying an "anxious" PM had "begged for help" during a dinner with the EU Commission President.

Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker
Image: Theresa May dined with Jean-Claude Juncker before last week's EU summit
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Jean-Claude Juncker has tried to avert a diplomatic crisis by dismissing a German newspaper's account of his dinner with Theresa May last week.

The European Commission president said he was "shocked" and that "nothing was true" about the account leaked to the newspaper.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quoted a source claiming with "rings under her eyes" at the meal in Brussels.

The newspaper added that "she indicated that back home friend and foe are on her back, plotting to bring her down".

Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker
Image: Theresa May dined with Jean-Claude Juncker before last week's EU summit

Mr Juncker denied the claims, commenting that "it's always like that" with the media.

"It was a good meeting," he said. "She was neither tired nor beaten. She did her thing, and I did mine too."

"We didn't find an agreement because first you have to resolve the problem concerning British citizens in Europe and continental European citizens in Britain."

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He also told the BBC: "I am really surprised - if not shocked - about what has been written in the German press and, of course, repeated by the British press.

British Prime Minister Theresa May takes a seat as she arrives for a bilateral meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels
Image: The PM's ex-chief of staff blamed his counterpart in Mr Juncker's team

"Nothing is true in all of this. I had an excellent working dinner with Theresa May. She was in good shape, she was not tired. She was fighting as is her duty, so everything for me was OK."

Asked if that meant she had not pleaded with him, Mr Juncker replied: "No, that's not the style of British prime ministers."

Mr Juncker's chief of staff, Martin Selmayr, also came under fire from his former counterpart to the Prime Minister, Nick Timothy.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Timothy said: "After constructive Council meeting, Selmayr does this. Reminder that some in Brussels want no deal or a punitive one."

Mr Selmayr has denied having been the source of the leak or the Commission seeking to punish Britain, denouncing what he called "an attempt to frame EU side and to undermine talks."