BORIS Johnson was left humiliated after he was forced to cancel a press conference with the Luxembourg premier Xavier Bettel, who ridiculed the Prime Minister by pointing to an empty lectern.
Mr Johnson had already been greeted with cries of "Go home Boris" and "stop Brexit" when he left his two-hour lunch with Jean-Claude Juncker, the outgoing President of the European Commission, earlier in the day.
The PM then headed to the Ministry of State in Luxembourg City where he was again met by a noisy chorus, including chants of "bog off Boris" and "tell the truth".
Behind the ministry's gates, Mr Johnson maintained a smile and greeted Mr Bettel with a handshake.
But it became clear during the meeting that the planned press conference had been scrapped; the PM headed to the residence of the UK ambassador to speak to a small group of journalists.
He said he feared "our points might've been drowned out" because "there was clearly going to be a lot of noise" and that would not have been fair on his host.
But Mr Bettel appeared to mock his absent guest when he gestured to the empty podium that had been slated for his British counterpart.
The Luxembourg PM also fanned the flames of discontent, warning that EU citizens were facing mounting uncertainty due to Brexit.
"You can't hold their future hostage for party political gains," declared Mr Bettel.
The direct criticism came after the EU expressed frustration with Mr Johnson following the "working lunch" over snails, salmon and cheese with Mr Juncker.
Despite the meal being described by the Commission President as "friendly" and by Downing St as “constructive,” it contained tensions and there was little sign of any breakthrough.
The European Commission said Mr Juncker reminded the PM it was the UK's responsibility to propose "legally operational solutions" to the Irish backstop. "Such proposals have not yet been made," it insisted.
No 10 said the PM had reiterated he would pull the UK out of the bloc by October 31 regardless of whether MPs approved a deal.
And it added the leaders had agreed discussions would now "intensify" and take place daily.
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