Moves like May: Juncker follows in PM’s footsteps by dancing on stage

Moves like May: Juncker follows in PM’s footsteps by dancing on stage

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker appeared to mock Theresa May when he performed a little dance while preparing to give a speech in Brussels.

Mrs May surprised delegates at last week’s Conservative Party conference Birmingham when she shimmied on stage for her big keynote speech to the tune of Abba’s Dancing Queen.

Mr Juncker’s spokesman Margaritis Schinas later insisted the Commission president had “great respect” for Mrs May.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Schinas said Mr Juncker’s dance moves were “not directed at anyone” but were an “improvisation on the moment as the music kept playing before he could start his speech”.

He said that the Commission president’s respect for the Prime Minister was “repeatedly stated in public and demonstrated in practice”.

Quoting from Abba’s hit Thank You For The Music, Mr Schinas quipped: “Without a song or a dance what would our life be?”

The Commission president took a swipe at Britain by telling his audience that he preferred to make his speech in French or Luxembourgish, his native tongue, spoken by fewer than half a million people, rather than English.

And he denounced “stupid” populists who were challenging the existence of the European Union.

Mr Juncker told his audience: “English is not the only official language of the EU, and as things are as they are, I will express myself in French and maybe in Luxembourgish.”

Jean-Claude Juncker
Video grab taken from the live feed of the European Commission of president Jean-Claude Juncker (PA)

“But I think we need to talk to them. I would like to distinguish between those eurosceptics who have questions to ask and opinions to make and those stupid populists. It’s not the same thing.

“We need to distinguish between those stupid populists and the nationalists who have an opinion to put forward.”

Mr Juncker did not comment on his dance steps or mention Mrs May in his speech.

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