Michel Barnier snaps at suggestions ball is in EU’s court to break deadlock which could lead to Brexit ‘no deal’ scenario

MICHEL Barnier has snapped at suggestions the ball is in the EU’s court to break the deadlock which could lead to a Brexit “no deal” scenario.

Brussels’ chief negotiator reacted with anger after Theresa May laid out a tough stance yesterday, as he met with David Davis for the start of a new round of talks.

He warned that Brexit was “not a game” after the Prime Minister told the EU the “ball is in their court”.

Speaking after a lunch of sea bass, Scottish beef and English and French sparkling wine with the Brexit Secretary Mr Davis, he told the waiting media: “The lunch was good and we had constructive talks.”

But asked as he walked away if the ball was now in the EU’s court, the Frenchman spun round and wagged his finger at a BBC reporter, saying: “Brexit is not a game. Don’t forget.”

The pair are expected to give a press conference on Thursday to reveal what, if any, progress they have made, and whether the deadlock preventing trade talks starting has been broken.

On Monday Mr Davis was at Mrs May’s side as she made a statement to MPs in which she insisted Brussels now had to make the first move, after she unveiled her Brexit plans in a speech in Florence last month.

She also outlined proposals for new laws to set tariffs and quotas – including options if Britain ends the talks with no agreement in place.

This afternoon the EU Council Chief put a December deadline on talks before the bloc may have to rethink whether a Brexit deal is possible.

Donald Tusk appeared to dash the PM’s hopes EU leaders will use a summit next week to agree to move on from divorce talks to the next phase of negotiations, dealing with a future relationship – despite the PM’s call for “flexibility”.

He insisted Brussels was still working towards a deal, but said: “We hear from London that the UK government is preparing for a ‘no deal’ scenario.

“I would like to say very clearly that the EU is not working on such a scenario.

“We are negotiating in good faith, and we still hope that the so-called ‘sufficient progress’ will be possible by December.

“However, if it turns out that the talks continue at a slow pace, and that ‘sufficient progress’ hasn’t been reached, then – together with our UK friends – we will have to think about where we are heading.”

Meanwhile another row broke out over the schedule for this week’s talks – with the diary for Wednesday remains empty, with both sides blaming each other.

European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said: “Our teams are available 24/7 and the timing of talks depends on the availability of our UK partners.”

But a spokesman for the Department for Exiting the EU hit back: “The talks this week were a mutually agreed programme designed to give both sides the best chance to make progress.

“We have always been clear that we are ready to negotiate at any time.”