EU's Schulz Slams New UK Cabinet

European Parliament chief Martin Schulz on Thursday took aim at British Prime Minister Theresa May's new cabinet, saying it continued a "dangerously vicious cycle" that will hurt Britain and Europe.

Schulz said the cabinet, like the one run by May's predecessor David Cameron, is based on solving internal splits in the ruling center-right Conservative Party rather than promoting the national interest.

"We will work constructively with the newly elected British government in these difficult times, as we have in the past," the German politician said in a statement.

"However, the composition of the new cabinet shows that the focus is less on the future of the country but more about satisfying the internal cohesion of the Tory Party," he added.

"Unfortunately, this carries on from what has been the starting point of this unfortunate referendum in the first place," he said.

Schulz was alluding to Cameron's decision to call the June 23 referendum on Britain's EU membership -- in which people voted to leave -- in order to settle a dispute with the euroskeptic wing of party.

"The welfare of the country is not the focal point of political decision-making but inner-party calculations," Schulz said.

"The United Kingdom has to break this dangerously vicious cycle which has direct impacts on the rest of Europe," Schulz said.

"We are in an uncertain and difficult situation in Europe which is why all those involved have to act very responsibly.