TONY Blair is betraying Britain by meeting President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, furious Tory MPs have claimed.
The former Labour Prime Minister will attend the EU Commission’s Berlaymont building in Brussels at around 11.30am today for talks with the powerful eurocrat.
Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said: “Juncker tried to blackmail us into paying Brussels billions.”
He added: “Blair should be standing up for Britain, not surrendering to the EU.”
Mr Blair, who is a massive supporter of the EU, has been accused of attempting to influence the outcome of the Brexit negotiations by attending Brussels for the meeting.
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage told the Telegraph: “Blair’s interference and desire to sell out our country never stops. The Remaniac-in-chief has no position or power any more, only delusions.”
Formally, the agenda for the meeting is about the Middle East, Libya and the ex PM’s foundation as well as “current issues of European economics and politics”.
That could include Brexit but EU officials declined to go into detail, merely stating that the pair are “good friends” and that there is “no conspiracy” surrounding the meeting.
But the timing of the get together, w
hich comes just as Michel Barnier and David Davis are due to wrap up the third round of Brexit negotiations, has raised hackles amongst some eurosceptic MPs.
EU Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein has insisted the meeting is “nothing out of the ordinary” and that it was perfectly usual for Mr Juncker to meet personal friends.
He said: “The president is in contact with… his peers from the previous times, after he was prime minister for 20 years, and Tony Blair is one of these peers. They are good friends, they’ve known each other for a very long time.”
He added: “This is absolutely nothing out of the extraordinary. The president’s door is always open and he looks for a timing which works for both of them. No conspiracy there, I’m afraid.”
This is the second time this year that Mr Blair has visited the Belgian capital to talk with Mr Juncker.
The former British PM also held meetings with the EU Commission chief in January, with Brexit and the future relationship between the UK and EU high up on the agenda.
Source:www.express.co.uk