EU official a ‘stupid boy’, says UK minister

Diplomacy has gone out the window over Britain’s departure from the EU, with a UK minister calling one top EU ­official a ‘stupid boy’.

Diplomatic language has gone out the window in the standoff over Britain’s departure from the EU, with a British minister calling one top EU ­official a “stupid boy”.

Martin Callanan, Minister at the Department for Exiting the EU, said ahead of an EU meeting that European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans had spread “childish insults” about the British negoti­ating stance that has failed to bring a breakthrough in more than two years of talks.

Mr Timmermans says in a BBC documentary to be broadcast early today that British negotiators had been “running around like idiots”.

Lord Callanan, quoting a ­riposte from British television comedy Dad’s Army, said Mr Timmermans was a “stupid boy”.

AP