PRIME MINISTER Theresa May’s Brexit negotiation skills were scorned yesterday after a row over the size of Britain’s severance bill.

The European Commission’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier refused to be drawn on reports that the bill could be as large as €100 billion (£84.5bn).

However, he insisted that there must be a “settling of accounts” and that it was an “illusion” to think the process of Britain leaving the EU would be quick and painless.