Foul-mouthed MEPs tear into Theresa May despite senior EU leaders giving a guarded welcome to the PM’s Brexit speech

FOUL mouthed MEPs tore into Theresa May today despite senior EU leaders giving a guarded welcome to the PM’s Brexit speech.

Jan Philip Albrecht, Green MEP for northern Germany slammed the PM for effectively telling the EU to “go *** yourself”.

Taking to Twitter he moaned: “May. Go f*** yourself EU but please don’t let us down. *whine* *whine*.

“Everything what (sic) May tells her British people to achieve would be possible inside the European Union but will be daydreams outside it.”

Liberal MEP Guy Verhofstadt, one of the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator, added it was an “illusion” to think Britain could enjoy the advantages of the EU outside of the single market.

But the EU leaders who decided to comment gave a cautious welcome to the “clarity” provided by the PM.

EU Council leader Donald Tusk said the speech was “at least more realistic” than previous speculation of Britain seeking to remain within the single market but control borders.

The top bureaucrat said Brexit was a “sad process” to go through before adding the remaining EU member states stood “united and ready to negotiate”.

Norbert Rottgen, the German foreign affairs spokesman in Angela Merkel’s CDU party, told Sky News it would be “nonsense” to do a bad deal.

Meanwhile European Commission Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said he hoped for an “orderly exit” as a smooth transition would be vital for a good future relationship between London and the EU bloc.

Separately a spokesman said European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker was briefed “with interest” on May’s address.

Theresa May was due to speak to both Mr Juncker and Donald Tusk after her speech. In a blog Finnish PM Juha Sipila insisted the PM’s speech contained “the expected elements”.

He added: “For Finland, Britain is an important trading partner, for us it is really important that this close relationship is maintained.”

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said European countries would quietly be pleased. He said: “I think it will be very well received around the world and with our European friends, no matter what they may.”

But the German Chamber of Commerce warned companies will “scale back” investment in the UK. Volker Treier, of the German DIHK, said: “Hard Brexit means lower growth on both sides of the Channel.

“The UK probably becomes less important for Germany as export destination.”

Last night Mr Verhofstadt upped his attack on Twitter. He said: “Britain has chosen a hard Brexit.

“May’s clarity is welcome - but the days of UK cherry picking and Europe a la cart (sic) are over.

“Threatening to turn the UK into a deregulated tax heaven (sic) will not only hurt British people - it is a counterproductive negotiating tactic.”