Day one and already Brussels is wailing! Theresa May is accused of BLACKMAIL after saying she could withdraw co-operation on security unless a fair trade agreement is struck

Theresa May (pictured left) was accused last night of trying to blackmail the EU over a Brexit trade deal. In a show of steel that angered Brussels, the Prime Minister suggested she could withdraw co-operation on security unless a fair agreement was struck. She used her Article 50 letter, which launches a two-year divorce process, to warn the EU against trying to damage Britain at such a dangerous time. The 28-state bloc leans heavily on UK intelligence and policing expertise. Mrs May's warning was described as tantamount to blackmail by Guy Verhofstadt (shown bottom right), the European Parliament's Brexit negotiator. EU leaders, including German chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured top right) quickly said they would block Mrs May's demand for a trade deal to be negotiated alongside the terms of Britain's departure.