May tells Cabinet to back her ahead of crucial Brexit talks

I’m convinced that if we as a government stand together and stand firm, we can achieve this.

Theresa May, British PM

brussels — British Prime Minister Theresa May has urged her divided Cabinet to back her as Brexit negotiations with the European Union go down to the wire.

At a marathon three-hour Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, May said the government must “stand together and stand firm.”

A day before a crucial EU summit, talks have hit a logjam over the complex issue of the Irish border, which will mark the only land frontier between the UK and the bloc after Britain leaves next year.

Several of her senior ministers reportedly met late on Monday to coordinate their approach over takeaway pizza, before Tuesday’s regular cabinet meeting focused this week on Brexit.

She told the Cabinet: “I’m convinced that if we as a Government stand together and stand firm, we can achieve this.”

Media reports this weekend suggested several Brexit-supporting ministers were considering resigning if May compromised too much with Brussels.

Asked about the pizza meeting on Monday, May’s spokesman said: “Cabinet ministers are free to eat whatever they choose.”

But with a deal looking unlikely this week after the latest round of talks broke down on Sunday, the immediate threat of walk-outs appears to have reduced. Hardline eurosceptics in May’s party are threatening a vote of no confidence in her leadership within the next couple of weeks, unless she drops her “Chequers” plans for Brexit, the reported on Tuesday.

“If the cabinet does not chuck Chequers I think we will have a vote of no confidence ... by this week, next week. We are completely on the brink now,” an unnamed source from the European Research Group of anti-EU lawmakers in May’s ruling Conservative party told the

The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, says a deal with Britain might not come before November after talks hit an impasse over the weekend.

Speaking on the eve of an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, Barnier said several issues needed to be dealt with, including the future of the border between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. “We are not there yet,” he said. —