European Union leaders warn next British PM there will be no new Brexit deal

European Union leaders have warned that regardless of who becomes the next British PM, the current deal will not be changed.

The European Union’s leaders have fired a Brexit warning to whoever wins the battle to become the next British prime minister, insisting the existing divorce deal will not be changed.

Hot favourite Boris Johnson faces foreign minister Jeremy Hunt in a run-off vote to decide who takes on the tricky task of piloting the country’s departure from the EU.

Conservative MP Boris Johnson is expected to be the next British prime minister. Picture: AFP

Both say they want to renegotiate the deal that outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May struck with Brussels after two years of painful negotiation, a deal which British politicians have rejected three times.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will face Boris Johnson in a run-off to become Britain's next prime minister. Picture: AFP

At a leaders’ summit in Brussels, European Council President Donald Tusk said the bloc would remain “very precise and also patient” despite the high political drama unfolding in Westminster.

British Prime Minister Theresa May, pictured smiling like she hasn’t smiled in years, knowing she will be leaving the grim job of being Britain’s top politician very soon. Picture: AP

“Maybe the process of Brexit will be even more exciting than before because of some personnel decisions in London, but nothing has changed when it comes to our position,” Mr Tusk said.

He said that all remaining 27 EU leaders were adamant there could be no changes to the legal accord struck in November last year.

European Council President Donald Tusk: ‘The withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation.’ Picture: AP

“We are open for talks when it comes to the declaration on the future UK-EU relations if the position of the UK were to evolve, but the withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation,” Mr Tusk said.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the European Commission, which led Brexit talks for the EU side, said leaders “repeated unanimously there will be no renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement”.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) and MP Boris Johnson are the last two standing in the race to replace Mrs May. Picture: AFP

It seems that barring a major upset, the 160,000 grassroots members of the Conservative party will choose Mr Johnson to take over from Mrs May in July.

But the blond former mayor of London is a hugely divisive figure. Some say his wit and charisma is what is needed to win Brussels around, while critics point to his long history of gaffes and accuse him of cheap populism and a lazy lack of attention to detail.

Recent threats by Johnson to withhold Britain’s $75 million divorce bill unless the EU agrees to better terms were seen in Brussels as a sign of possible bad faith.

Though she was berated at home for her plodding approach, Mrs May won admirers in the EU for what they saw as her fair-minded pursuit of a Brexit deal.

French President Emmanuel Macron has praised the out-going Mrs May. Picture: AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has taken a tough line on Brexit, said he hoped Mrs May’s successor would act with the same “formidable loyalty and formidable respect” she had shown.

“She never sought to block Europe and she never held discussions about the future hostage,” Mr Macron said.

“I don’t want to involve myself in internal British life (but) I hope we will see the same decency and the same spirit of responsibility which she brought.”

Brexit has been delayed twice already and both Mr Hunt and Mr Johnson say Britain should leave the bloc on the current deadline date of October 31, even if it means walking away with no deal.

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker: ‘There will be no renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement.’ Picture: AFP

But Mr Hunt has suggested he might delay Brexit briefly if a deal with Brussels was close, and Mr Johnson has refused to absolutely guarantee leaving on October 31.

Patience across the Channel is wearing thin, with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar warning at the Brussels summit of “enormous hostility” in the EU to granting Britain yet another delay.

One of the main sticking points has been how to prevent a “hard border” with customs checks on the border between EU member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland.

The withdrawal agreement includes a “backstop” that keeps Britain in the bloc’s customs union until a better solution is found, but hardline anti-EU MPs see this as a trap to stop the UK escaping.