European Council President Donald Tusk has hinted that the UK should stay in the EU, after the prime minister's Brexit deal was rejected in parliament. If a deal is impossible, and no-one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is? he tweeted.
Theresa May will return to Brussels for Brexit talks this weekend as the UK and EU strive to do a deal in time for Sunday's summit of European leaders. After a two-hour meeting with EU officials, the prime minister said progress was being made on the future shape of EU-UK relations.
EU leaders have dismissed talk of renegotiating the draft Brexit deal and warned the UK's political situation could make a no-deal more likely. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was no question of reopening talks as a document was on the table.
The British cabinet has backed a draft withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU, Theresa May has said. The prime minister was speaking after what she said was a “long, detailed and impassioned debate” in a five-hour cabinet meeting.
UK ministers have been told judgment day is coming over Brexit as the UK and EU strive for a deal within 48 hours. Officials are trying to hammer out an agreement on the terms of the UK's exit by Wednesday to enable EU leaders to agree it by the end of the month.
Theresa May has told the British Cabinet that she will not agree a withdrawal deal with the EU “at any cost”. The Prime Minister said any agreement will be dependent on an “acceptable” framework for future relations in areas like trade and security, expected to be covered in a separate political declaration.
A deal on the Irish border to break the Brexit deadlock is not close, the EU’s chief negotiator said on Tuesday. Michel Barnier was speaking as Theresa May briefed the Cabinet on her plans to achieve a breakthrough in time to secure a special Brexit summit to seal an agreement in November.
Brussels and Downing Street have played down speculation about a breakthrough in Brexit talks. Reports that a Brexit deal could safeguard the City’s access to European Union markets led to an increase in the value of sterling.
Germany has urged UK's Theresa May to “take responsibility” for Brexit, as a crunch summit approaches with no sign of any breakthrough in negotiations. The Prime Minister was briefing senior ministers in an extended session of Cabinet ahead of Wednesday’s European Council meeting at which it had initially been hoped to conclude the UK’s withdrawal deal.
Downing Street has played down expectations of agreement on Britain’s withdrawal from the EU at a crunch summit next week, warning that “big issues” remain to be resolved. Theresa May’s official spokesman said further concessions were needed from the EU side, and warned that no withdrawal agreement could be sealed without a “precise” declaration about the post-Brexit relationship.