EU President Turns On UKIP Over Brexit Vote

The President of the European Union Jean-Claude Juncker has turned on Nigel Farage and his fellow UKIP MEP's, asking them: "Why are you here?"

Mr Juncker made the comment at an emergency session of the EU parliament in Brussels to discuss the UK's Brexit vote.

"We must respect British democracy and the way it has expressed its view," he said to rare applause from the UKIP members.

He went on: "That's the last time you are applauding here... and to some extent I'm really surprised you are here.

"You are fighting for the exit. The British people voted in favour of the exit. Why are you here?"

Mr Juncker was speaking from a desk next to UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who had planted a British flag in front of him.

Earlier the UKIP leader was heckled as he was being interviewed before the meeting.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz told MEP's: "We regret the UK's decision to leave but we are still linked by humanity."

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Dutch Minister of Defence, added: "History and geography cannot be changed - Britain is and always will be a European nation."

Later Prime Minister David Cameron will face EU leaders for the first time since British voters decided to back Brexit in last week's referendum.

He is expected to urge heads of state and EU institutions to be "constructive" about negotiations over a new relationship between the UK and Europe at a summit in Brussels.

However, he will also reject calls to immediately trigger the formal process for Britain to leave the EU - insisting it is a matter for his successor, who may not be in place before 2 September.

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Mr Cameron will join other EU leaders at a working dinner devoted to the consequences of the Brexit vote, which has stunned Europe's political establishment and hit stock markets across the continent.

But he will be excluded from meetings on the second day of the summit, when the other 27 leaders will discuss taking a collective bargaining position with the UK.

A government source said holding the meetings without British representatives did not amount to a snub, adding: "We respect their right to have these discussions."

The source said Mr Cameron would use his visit to Brussels "to encourage people to think about how the UK and EU make the best of the decision of the British people".

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who may run for the Conservative leadership , has suggested Britain could hold another vote on the leaving the EU.

He says the next Prime Minister should be allowed to "negotiate a deal" with Brussels that the public can have a say on through a second referendum or a general election.

In an article for The Daily Telegraph he said: "We must not invoke Article 50 straight away because that puts a time limit of two years on negotiations, after which we could be thrown out with no deal at all.

"So before setting the clock ticking we need to negotiate a deal and put it to the British people, either in a referendum or through the Conservative manifesto at a fresh general election."