EU seeks ways to help May

BRUSSELS: The European Union is considering ways to help Prime Minister Theresa May convince the British Parliament to back the Brexit treaty she agreed with EU leaders last month but yesterday ruled out any change to the deal.

EU sources said senior officials in Brussels were discussing whether and how to issue ‘‘reassurances’’ that might help May overcome resistance to the deal before lawmakers vote in London next week.

Among the reassurances being considered was a request May put to fellow EU leaders at a summit on December 14 to commit to having a new UKEU freetrade treaty in place by the end of 2021.

The date is important as it could allow May to assure her own party and others that the unpopular ‘‘Irish backstop’’ in the treaty would not be triggered after a statusquo transition period ends.

The backstop would bind Britain to follow EU rules to avoid a ‘‘hard’’ customs border across Ireland unless a better way is agreed to do that by means of a new trade pact.

Critics of May’s deal to smooth Britain’s passage out of the EU on March 29 say the backstop could leave Britain subject to EU rules indefinitely.

The EU executive repeated yesterday leaders would not renegotiate the treaty and said it was pressing on with planning for Britain to crash out of the EU without a deal.