Irish premier Leo Varadkar warned Donald Tusk to brace for a backlash from the British press after his comments about the “special place in hell” reserved for Brexiteers.
European Council president Mr Tusk used a televised statement alongside Mr Varadkar to say he had been wondering about the fate awaiting politicians who pushed for Brexit “without even a sketch of a plan” for how to implement it.
The jibe at Brexiteers was clearly pre-planned, with Mr Tusk’s comments at the Brussels podium almost immediately repeated by his official Twitter account.
I’ve been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted #Brexit, without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely.
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) February 6, 2019
Brussels officials were quick to clarify Mr Tusk’s remarks, stressing to BBC correspondent Adam Fleming that the Brexiteers’ special place in hell would be for when they are dead and “not right now”.
An EU official has clarified that @eucopresident meant when the people he was referring to are … dead. Not right now. https://t.co/PVoo7raNuu
— Adam Fleming (@adamfleming) February 6, 2019
Mr Tusk’s Twitter account is not the only social media platform he has used to aim barbed comments at UK politicians.
