To wish the EU would stop being so arsey with us!

[GreatAuntPrudish]

Juncker is an utter prick - leaking details of the dinner at No.10.
Then there's Barnier, Hollande and other EU officials warning us how ugly it's going to get.

Poland and France wanting to extract every last billion out of us!

They're playing into May's hands - giving her the opportunity to look like the Boudicca of the 21st century when she is actually an utterly useless PM.

I wish they'd show some consideration for the 48%

I'm a Remainer - still want to stay in EU - but it's starting to piss me off so there's little chance the leavers who were starting to wobble will want to stay now.

The Daily Mail are relishing it

This situation is entirely of our own making. May has done nothing to engender good relations with the EU at this crucial point of starting exit negotiations.

fuck-all to do with their nasty spiteful petty attitude towards us

Please for the love of God, start using your brain. The tedious childishness is so bloody irritating. The EU are behaving exactly as they said they would, they are not being nasty, they are not being petty, they are in fact the only ones who seem to be in any way prepared. People like you make life so easy for May, she bleats about the EU and how mean it's being to her and so many twits fall for it hook, line and sinker.

There does seem to be a lot of hyperbole coming from people that wanted brexit at the moment

They will always find someone else to blame. That we can rely on,

Rubbish. They were trying to bounce us into Art 50 before the ink was dry on the referendum. TM kept her nerve and did things at her own pace.

TM muddled through things, understaffed, underprepared and under-informed. And they didn't try to bounce us into anything; TM and her cronies were blapping about getting started on trade talks immediately and the EU27 quite reasonably pointed out that these talks could not start before formal notification.

they are not being nasty

I think that Yanis Varoufakis would disagree. They have form.

the EU27 quite reasonably pointed out that these talks could not start before formal notification

Again: says who? They always want to dictate the process.

The leavers saying the EU is playing dirty and wants to punish us for political reasons to stop others leaving.....
I wouldn't put it into those exact words, but there are indeed political reasons for the EU to not give us the most economically optimum (for both sides) deal.
In fact this was pointed out before the referendum, in the face of certain leavers declaring that "Of COURSE the EU will agree to the bestest trade arrangement anyone's ever agreed ever, because German cars etc etc etc..... "

Since Brexit, much of the narrative has shifted from "we can be like Norway" to "we must leave the single market"
and from "we will be immediately better off" to "we always knew there would be economic drawbacks in the short/medium term"
and from "huge economic benefits" to "I'd rather die on my feet" (btw comparing Brexit to death is not selling it well)
and from "LExit!" to "Vote for the biggest Tory majority ever seen!"
and from "its not about immigration" to "the British people clearly voted to reduce immigration" ....
etc etc

Completely agree with those that say TM and the UK government have set the tone. If they had gone in from the outset with an approach of "We're leaving the EU, but we still want close, friendly links with our nearest neighbours" then the whole set of negotiations could have gone much more smoothly.

It's almost as if the government has put itself on a war footing with our European allies, which is shameful.

I asked ages ago if someone could point me in the direction of how they were being mean

Have i missed it?

I may have done as i went out

Still interested

I hate the EU too. Nasty bitter little shits, pissed off that they're losing our £350 million a week! This is why they're being awkward and nasty, because they're angry and pissed off and bitter. They are like a rejected ex LOL!

Really?

Straight out of the DM comments pages. Ignorant uninformed and inarticulate.

Completely agree with those that say TM and the UK government have set the tone. If they had gone in from the outset with an approach of "We're leaving the EU, but we still want close, friendly links with our nearest neighbours" then the whole set of negotiations could have gone much more smoothly.

If you recall, Cameron went to the EU pre-referendum and was polite and got diddly squat from them. It's part of the reason why Leavers won the referendum.

Ignorant uninformed and inarticulate.

I presume that you wouldn't say the same about the Greek Finance Minister. Would you care to comment on his article.

Well TM always was a remainer and it worries me that she keeps spouting things like 'I'm a bloody difficult woman' and seems to want to ramp things up as much as possible. We are leaving them so cannot act like the injured party. Of course they will make an example of us so others don't follow suit. I fear she doesn't really want to come out of the EU so is hoping for no deal to be reached, imho that would be catastrophic. I hope JC gets elected, he has always been euro skeptic and so will get us out, no 2nd referendum bollocks, but still wants to keep us in the single market and comes across far more calm and considered. I think that is a better way to negotiate than TM has so far. I voted remain but I believe in democracy so if we are going to do it, lets do it; but retain our human rights, workers rights and negotiate with dignity not mild hysteria and threats.

Of course they will make an example of us so others don't follow suit.

I really don't get this logic. If the EU is so great why would any country want to follow suit?

The UK is the one choosing to leave. Why should they treat us as anything other than a 3rd country and prioritise sorting rights of citizens (both expats and immigrants - even the terminology is telling), outstanding financial commitments and international treaties (which is what the GFA is) before getting into the nitty gritty of future relationships (as an "outside" nation)?

It's nothing they haven't said since Day 1. May didn't need to call a GE (in fact, she said she wouldn't ). The meal with Juncker at No 10 was at her invitation.

She is the one behaving like a spoilt brat toddler having a tantrum and throwing her toys out the pram after not getting her own way - after repeated explanations as to why she couldn't.

The Ireland border thing is a red herring as far as I can tell. There are already soft borders with non-EU states (the Vatican is an obvious one).

I'm struggling to see what relevance the Vatican has here. Do aspiring immigrants parachute in and cross the border into the EU?

I don't think they're being arsey.

I think the Tories are combative and in an impossible political bind.

They don't understand that the EU are as bound to their own political imperatives.

There is also culture clash and miscommunication IMO.

I think May is daunted by this process. I don't blame her; this is an unprecedented set of negotiations and the precise outcomes frankly unknowable.

She is defensive and out of her depth. She isn't the smartest talent in the Conservative party, though she's obviously 'bright'.

I think we should all be worried.

The key thing to remember here is that the EUs first priority is the EU, then the governments of the members, then the citizens of the members

Beautifully put ... except that I'd have put the citizens a lot further down the list

If I have to relocate my life, my business, my BRITISH CITIZEN children because I can't stay, well.. not much sympathy I am afraid.

Ditto, but from the other side. We live in a European country b/c my husband has a British passport. What is going to happen to us? We have expended a lot of time, money and effrot making our home here, I love it so much, and no-one can say what will happen to us now. Yes, we will be applying for citizenship, but that takes time.

What consequences would there be for the rest of Europe if the UK was bankrupted?

Juncker just can't handle how strong and stable we are under Mrs May's leadership, obviously.

We are the envy of the world! for our optimism in the face of oblivion

The Ireland border thing is a red herring as far as I can tell. There are already soft borders with non-EU states (the Vatican is an obvious one). It cannot beyond the wit of the two sides to come up with a solutio*n

Very relevant Huge trade in cattle into the Vatican.

Very little, SylviaPoe, so long as it happens after March 2019. Unless you count uncontrolled immigration of foreigners who refuse to integrate or learn the local language.

Oh so now people who think the EU are bitter little shits who are angry we have left, are 'daily mail comments contributors,' in addition to being racist and bigoted little Englanders

Grow up.