Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel holds press meet next to empty podium after Boris Johnson fails to convince EU leaders on Brexit

On Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed to convince EU leaders about his plan on Brexit deal, not only that he also ducked out of a planned news conference under a chorus of abuse from protesters.

According to News18, before setting off for talks in Luxembourg, Johnson had compared himself to comic book giant Hulk, but when anti-Brexit protesters gathered he left Prime Minister Xavier Bettel to field questions solo. This left Bettel in anger. Angry Bettel pointed in bitter amusement at the empty podium in front of the British flag beside him as he warned that Britain had failed to come up with any credible way to revive the Brexit withdrawal deal.

It was time to "stop speaking and act," he told the absent Johnson. "For me I have just one withdrawal agreement on the table and it's the one from last year," Bettel said. "There are no changes, there are no concrete proposals for the moment on the table and I won't give an agreement to ideas."

After the brief talks with Johnson, Bettel was due to head to Paris for talks with France's President Emmanuel Macron, and he warned EU leaders will not postpone Brexit beyond October 31 if Britain does not come up with written suggestions soon. "An extension is only an option it if serves a purpose," he warned. For his part, once he was safely clear of the small crowd of British residents of Luxembourg who had gathered outside Bettel's office for the noisy protest, Johnson made brief remarks to British broadcasters.