Macron says Britain MUST leave the EU on Halloween as the French President pledges to block any more delays to Brexit

  • French President claims an Article 50 extension to 2020 would 'pollute' the EU
  • Mr Macron wanted Britain to leave the bloc by mid-June until he was shot down
  • Arguing for no more delays he said: 'In the case of Brexit, you just have to know at some point whether it stops or not'
  • Donald Tusk has urged Britons to back Change UK to keep 'the UK in the EU' 

Emmanuel Macron today insisted that Britain should leave the EU on October 31 with or without a deal to prevent them 'polluting' the bloc.

The French President, who had fought for the UK to leave the bloc no later than June, says Brussels must not extend Article 50 again even if MPs fail to break the Brexit deadlock.

Mr Macron also gave his support to the EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission president, claiming his negotiations with Britain show he is up to the job.

He told Belgium’s Le Soir newspaper today: 'In the case of Brexit, you just have to know at some point whether it stops or not. If we have the logic of the weakness of saying that it scares us and that we are prepared not to respect the British vote, we betray both the British and the interest of the EU'.

The French leader said the Brexit delay to October 31 agreed by EU leaders in April must be the last.

He said that not allowing another Article 50 extension would 'prevent the next mandate being polluted by this subject we've been talking about for three years'.

Emmanuel Macron said that the British will 'pollute' the EU for years if it does not leave by October 31

Emmanuel Macron said that the British will 'pollute' the EU for years if it does not leave by October 31

Asked about Juncker's replacement he said: 'Undeniably, Michel Barnier is a man who has great qualities and he has demonstrated it again in the way of managing the negotiations with the British'. 

Donald Tusk yesterday infuriated voters after he took the extraordinary step of urging people to back Change UK on Thursday if they 'want Britain to stay in the EU'.

The EU Council President, who said there is a 'special place in hell' reserved for people who promoted Brexit without a plan, officially backed candidate Jan Rostowski claiming he would make a 'great MEP for London'.

His decision has caused fury with British voters telling him to 'mind his own business'  and 'stop meddling with democracy' ahead of the May 23 European elections.

Polish born Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski tweeted: 'Never a good idea for an overseas politician to interfere in the domestic elections of a sovereign nation. Perhaps we will have to now mobilise the 1 million Poles living in GB to vote against Mr Tusk when he stands to be President of Poland next year'. 

Tusk's foray into British politics is the latest intervention from EU chiefs after European Parliament Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt turned up in London campaigning for the Liberal Democrats with Sir Vince Cable earlier this month. 

Donald Tusk today took the extraordinary step of urging people to vote for Change UK on Thursday if they 'want to stay in the EU'.
Mr Tusk urged Londoners to back his friend Jan Rostowski, picture on the campaign trail this month

Donald Tusk today took the extraordinary step of urging people to vote for Change UK on Thursday if they 'want to stay in the EU'. He urged Londoners to back his friend Jan Rostowski, picture on the campaign trail this month

Mr Tusk has used an official statement to back Mr Rostowski, his former deputy prime minister in Poland who has now settled in the British capital, where he was born.

He said: 'Not only was he the best finance minister in Europe during the financial crisis, he is also a very dear friend who would make a great MEP for London, which I know he loves.

'I urge Londoners who want Britain to stay in the EU to vote for him.'  

Mr Tusk is staunchly pro-European and admitted his hope is that Britain will never leave the EU when Brussels agreed to extend Article 50 until October 31.

His backing for Change UK has caused some disquiet in the UK.  

Carol Summers said: 'Donald Tusk can mind his own business' while another critic said the EU is 'getting so frightened of no deal they meddle in our democracy'.

One critic tweeted: 'The hapless Change UK are a dying group, they're rather pathetic. If Tusk is idiotic enough to back them, all I can do is shrug my shoulders'

Another said: 'We are leaving. Then they can say whatever they like after that - nobody will care'.


The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.