DEFIANT MAY SAYS IT WAS ‘A MINOR SETBACK’
THERESA May last night dismissed the efforts of anti-Brexit rebels as a minor setback to Britain leaving the EU.
At a summit of European leaders set to give the go-ahead to the next round of Brussels talks, the Prime Minister insisted that her departure drive remained on track despite feeling “disappointed” that a mutiny by 11 Tory MPs had resulted in a Commons defeat on Wednesday.
“We’re on course to deliver Brexit, we’re on course to deliver the vote of the British people,” she declared on arriving in the Belgian capital. She added: “We’ve actually had 36 votes on the EU Withdrawal Bill and we’ve won 35 of those votes with an average majority of 22. So the Bill is making good progress.” The summit is expected to formally give the green light today to the second phase of talks, focusing on trade and the two-year transition period after the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.
Over a dinner with EU leaders last night, Mrs May promised that Britain would remain a “close friend” to the bloc after leaving.
But on arriving at the summit, some EU leaders claimed the Commons defeat was a sign that Brexit could still be reversed.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern said: “This cake isn’t eaten yet.” And Luxembourg’s premier Xavier Bettel said: “If every time we announce something there is a risk that it will unravel in London, it is not very good for making concrete progress.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there were “still a few questions remaining open” but there was “a good chance that the second phase can begin”.
EU Council President Donald Tusk admitted there could be divisions between the 27 EU nations. “I have no doubt that the real test of our unity will be the second phase of talks,” he said.