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Varadkar unfazed by claims in English media PM 'loathes' him

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

By James Gant

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is not sure if the Prime Minister "loathes" him, but said it is patently not the case that they don't communicate.

Responding to reports that Theresa May dislikes him, Mr Varadkar insisted they have a good working relationship.

It comes as he also suggested EU member states would be willing to extend Brexit Day beyond March 29 to facilitate a second referendum if the UK Government moved in that direction.

Mr Varadkar has become a target for some British media outlets since insisting the Irish backstop must remain in the withdrawal agreement.

Over the weekend the Brexit-supporting Daily Mail claimed relations between the Taoiseach and Mrs May were cold. The story also claimed she "loathes" him and had "outsourced communication with Dublin to her number two David Lidington because the relationship is so chilly".

Asked about the reports, Mr Varadkar said: "I'm not sure if the feeling's true, and I'm not quite sure where that particular idea comes from."

He said the idea that contacts were only happening between the Cabinet Secretary and Tanaiste was "patently not the case because as recently as last week we spoke on the phone".

Mr Varadkar reiterated his belief that Mrs May can rescue both the UK and EU from a no-deal scenario next year.

Although the PM is rejecting a push for a second referendum, Mr Varadkar said the EU would see it as a preferable option to the UK crashing out.

"I can't speak for 27 member states, but my sense is that if the United Kingdom were to seek an extension to Article 50 and if the alternative to that was them crashing out of the European Union without a deal, my feeling is that the 27 member states would agree to that extension because it would be in all our interests in those circumstances," he said.

"But once again I need to emphasise, the request would need to come from the United Kingdom.

"We're not asking them to do that, we're not pressuring them to do that, but the fact is that the United Kingdom can take a no-deal scenario at any stage off the table."

Belfast Telegraph

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