Paterson refuses to be drawn on Tusk's remarks
A Shropshire MP says Donald Tusk's outburst over Brexiteers was unwise and unhelpful.
Owen Paterson, MP for north Shropshire, is a long time supporter of leaving the European Union.
The former Northern Ireland secretary is part of the Alternative Arrangements working group which has brought together leavers and remainers to look at a new Irish backstop compromise to prevent a hard border between Ireland and northern Ireland.
He says the idea is to reopen the EU withdrawal agreement in order to replace the backstop with alternative technological arrangements which he claims are already available.
Earlier this week European Council President Donald Tusk astonished journalists at a news conference when he said: "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."
He was speaking after talks with Irish leader Leo Varadkar in Brussels and repeated his comments in a tweet immediately afternwards.
Many Brexiteers have reacted angrily to the comments some saying it would be God and not Mr Tusk who would decide their fate.
But Mr Paterson refused to be drawn about the comments.
He said simply: "Comments such as these from Donald Tusk are both unwise and unhelpful."
