Khaleej Times

UK faces more division if Brexit deal fails: May

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london — Britain faces “more division and more uncertaint­y” if a draft Brexit deal falls through, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday.

In a call-in show on BBC radio, May also refused to say whether or not she would resign if the British parliament eventually voted down the divorce agreement and outline on future ties.

“This isn’t about me... I am focused on ensuring we get this deal,” she said, adding that she would be touring Britain to explain the agreement “to people up and down the country”.

“If this deal does not go through we are back at square one. What we end up with is more division and more uncertaint­y,” she said.

May, who voted to stay in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, also dismissed calls for a second vote with an option to keep Britain in the EU, but then refused to say whether her deal was preferable to remaining in the bloc.

Instead, she said Britain could build a “better future” for itself outside the European Union.

She repeated her position on British sovereignt­y over Gibraltar — a contentiou­s issue with Spain that in recent days has threatened to upend the EU summit on Sunday. “We’re very clear, as the UK, that when we

If this deal does not go through we are back at square one. What we end up with is more division and more uncertaint­y

Theresa May, British Prime Minister

negotiate on these matters... we do so on behalf of the whole UK family including Gibraltar,” she said.

May’s spokeswoma­n told reporters earlier on Friday: “We’ve negotiated very openly and constructi­vely with the EU in matters relating to Gibraltar and worked closely with Spain.

“The withdrawal agreement isn’t being re-opened. We will work with the government of Gibraltar and Spain on our future relationsh­ip,” she said. —

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