Jean-Claude Juncker is in hot water after issuing a potentially unlawful decree to EU commissioners ordering them not to negotiate with Britain. Juncker told them he was using a “Presidential order” to block talks, but embarrassingly the Commission was later forced to admit no such thing exists. This is the phrase that is giving Juncker a legal problem:

“I have forbidden Commissioners from holding discussions with representatives from the British Government — by Presidential order… I have told all the Directors-General that there cannot be any prior discussions with British representatives.”

He is now being taken to court for the “misleading, unlawful and harmful” ban on negotiations. The legal challenge is being crowdfunded here…