Not willing to negotiate: NO ONE from Euro Commission to attend May’s Brexit speech
THE European Commission will snub Theresa May’s Florence speech as the PM attempts to break the Brexit deadlock.
Moscovici: Let's wait and see what Theresa May says in Florence
Signalling the EU is unwilling to negotiate, Express.co.uk has been told nobody from the European Commission will attend the speech.
Instead Theresa May will address her own ministers and other dignitaries in the Italian city.
The location was picked for being geographically at the heart of Europe.
The European Commission will not send a single official to Theresa May's Florence speech
We will not be in attendance at the speech tomorrow
Mrs May was hoping to use the speech to end months of deadlock by offering major concessions to move talks forward.
But it would appear the European Commission has already made up its mind.
A European Commission spokesman told Express.co.uk: “We will not be in attendance at the speech tomorrow.
“We will follow it closely and with great interest from Brussels, in order to save European taxpayers' money.
“The fourth round of formal negotiations will take place next week.
“As President Juncker said himself, he will speak to Prime Minister May today.”
Chief negotiator Michel Barnier is already in Italy but will also miss the speech.
The snub comes after the Prime Minister declined to appear at a public meeting of the European Parliament - instead arranging to meet with officials behind closed doors.
Mrs May, who discussed her speech with her Cabinet this morning, is expected to say she wants a two-year transition deal after leaving the European Union in March 2019.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said: "Hearing speech will say there will be transition of up to 2 years ... won't be off-shelf model.”
It is thought she will choose to appeal directly to the leaders of the 27 other member states rather than EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker and his team.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is already in Italy
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker will speak to the PM today
Today Mrs May briefed ministers on her plan to break the stalemate in the Brexit negotiations in a marathon session of the Cabinet.
The talks in Downing Street finally broke up after two-and-a-half hours.
Mrs May is expected to reassure EU leaders the UK will honour its existing financial obligations after Brexit.
Although it is not thought she will state an actual figure, it has been reported she is willing to pay between £20billion and £30billion into EU coffers as the price of Britain's "divorce" bill.