José Manuel Barroso, European Commission president, on Monday hinted that he would support an EU tax to overcome the bloc’s interminable budget negotiations.

Speaking only two days after the EU’s 25 member states struck a deal at 3am on Saturday on a €862bn ($1,040bn, £585bn) seven-year budget, Mr Barroso said the bloc could not continue to bargain in the same old fashion – a “zero sum game”.