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Irish prime minister’s microphone catches him giving Donald Tusk a warning about the British press over Brexit

Published 18:39 6 Feb 2019 GMT

Updated 18:46 6 Feb 2019 GMT

Carl Kinsella
Irish prime minister’s microphone catches him giving Donald Tusk a warning about the British press over Brexit

Homenews

Some friendly advice from a man who knows what he's talking about.

President of the European Council Donald Tusk set the cat amongst the pigeons on Wednesday morning when he told reporters: "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." Tusk then doubled down on the harsh words by tweeting them out minutes after the press conference ended. Footage has since emerged of Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar giving Tusk a friendly warning after the remarks. As the pair left their podiums, Varadkar can be heard to say: "They'll give you terrible trouble in the British press for that" while the men laugh and shake hands. Tusk appears to say: "Yes, I know." Watch the exchange below: https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/1093129902679838720 You can also hear a reporter shouting "What do you think the place in hell looks like?" but to no response from either politician. Varadkar himself is no stranger to being targeted by the British press. On several occasions, tabloid newspaper The Sun has singled the Taoiseach out for personal criticism — calling him naive, an airhead, and advising him to "shut his gob".

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Irish prime minister's microphone catches him giving Donald Tusk a warning about the British press over Brexit