UK signals it could soften Brexit stance amid pressure from EU

London, Oct. 6: Britain hinted Sunday that it could be open to changes to its latest Brexit proposals for Northern Ireland, as European leaders piled pressure on PM Boris Johnson to revise the plans.

Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay reiterated that the ideas formally submitted to Brussels this week were “a broad landing zone” to be discussed during “intense negotiations

We’ve set out very serious proposals, including compromise on our side — Stephen Barclay, Brexit secretary

in the coming days”.

He urged the bloc to show “creativity and flexibility” to secure a deal ahead of October 31 — when Mr Johnson has vowed Britain will end its 46 years of EU membership with or without an agreement.

“We’ve set out very serious proposals,” Mr Barclay said.

London, Oct. 6 : Britain hinted Sunday that it could be open to changes to its latest Brexit proposals for Northern Ireland, as European leaders piled pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to revise the plans.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay reiterated that the ideas formally submitted to Brussels this week were “a broad landing zone” to be discussed during “intense negotiations in the coming days”.

He urged the bloc to show “creativity and flexibility” to secure a deal ahead of October 31 -when Johnson has vowed Britain will end its 46 years of EU membership with or without an agreement.

“We've set out very serious proposals including compromise on our side,” Barclay told the BBC.

“We do need to get into the intensive negotiations on the text to clarify what the deal is.”Barclay added the government was considering holding a parliamentary vote ahead of a make-or-break EU summit on October 17-18 to show bloc leaders that Johnson's plans have MPs' support.

But European leaders, who have reacted tepidly to the propositions and urged London to offer a revised, viable way forward, are yet to agree even to ramp up negotiations.

Brussels reportedly balked at Britain's request to keep initial discussions on the proposals going through the weekend, and they will resume Monday.

The EU instead want reworked plans submitted by the end of the week, with time running out ahead of the summit.

“If the offer from the UK turns out to be a take-it-orleave-it, it's going to be very difficult,” Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins told the BBC on Sunday.

“It's fully dependent on the will Mr Johnson because from the European side, we're always open and looking towards a deal.”- 'No more dither'

Johnson began phoning European leaders this weekend to sell his proposals, but has so far received scant encouragement for a deal based around them.

Dutch Premier Mark Rutte tweeted he had told Johnson “important questions remain about the British proposals” and “there is a lot of work to be done ahead” of the summit.

Meanwhile, the EU's top negotiator Michel Barnier told an event Saturday organised by French newspaper Le Monde that while an agreement was still possible it “will be very difficult to reach”. The British leader is hoping the threat of a messy no-deal departure in less than three weeks could force the EU to compromise. of