PM’S BREXIT SHAMBLES The clock’s ticking...

May is shattered as EU rejects her Chequers plan DUP fury at ‘inflexible & unreasonable’ leaders

THERESA May’s Chequers Brexit plan is in tatters after EU leaders bluntly rejected it.

The Prime Minister was left furious at a crunch summit in Salzburg yesterday in a stand-off over the Irish border. Last night the DUP’S Nigel Dodds said the EU was “unreasonable and inflexible”.

EMBATTLED Theresa May cut an isolated figure yesterday as EU chiefs brutally dismissed her Brexit plan, giving her just four weeks to rescue a deal.

European Council President Donald Tusk plunged Britain’s withdrawal into a fresh crisis as he said the PM’S Chequers proposal “will not work”.

And he revealed all 27 leaders gathered for the summit in Salzburg agreed her blueprint was a non-starter.

It pushes Britain closer than ever to a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Tusk revealed: “Every- body shared the view that while there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal, the suggested framework for economic co-operation will not work - not least because it risks undermining the single market.”

Mrs May was left shaking with anger as she admitted her meeting with Mr Tusk had been “frank” – which is diplomatic code for a row.

But the PM continued to ignore warnings her plan was doomed and claimed it is “the only serious and credible proposition on the table”. Crucial to the stand-off are rows over the Irish border and Britain’s plans for “frictionless movement of goods”.

The EU wants a backstop option which would effectively keep Northern Ireland in an EU customs union to avoid a hard border with the Republic.

But the Government says Brussels’ proposal would split the United Kingdom.

Britain is due to come up with new suggestions for a “regulatory border” in the Irish Sea, which negotiators hope will satisfy the EU and the DUP, which Mrs May

relies on for her slim Commons majority.

Signalling she could compromise, she insisted Chequers is the only proposal on the table “at the moment” for avoiding a hard border.

It could allow the PM to ditch her plan if the EU suggests something better.

But last night the DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said: “Salzburg represents more evidence of the unreasonable and inflexible approach of the EU to negotiations.

“The UK Government must demonstrate a resolute determination not to be bullied.”

And he reiterated his party’s “absolute priority” of preserveing the political, constitutional and economic “integrity” of the UK.

Leaders are to meet next in Brussels on October 18 for a make-or-break showdown.

Mr Tusk predicted it would be the “moment of truth”.

He said: “In October we expect maximum progress and results in the Brexit talks, and then we will decide whether conditions are there to call an extra summit in November to finalise and formalise the deal.” Mrs May was visibly angry and speaking more quickly than usual when she addressed journalists. She admitted: “There’s a lot of work to be done.”

But, despite the ticking clock and slapdown from Brussels, she added: “If the political will is there on the other side, I’m confident we will reach a deal and to do so is in the EU’S interests as well as the UK’S.”

Mrs May had arrived in the Austrian Alps hoping EU leaders would hand her a pre-tory conference boost by backing her plan. It instead raises the chances of Britain crashing out on March 29 with no deal.

Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: “It has been clear for weeks that Theresa May’s Chequers proposals cannot deliver the comprehensive plan we need to protect jobs, the economy and avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland.

“With just weeks to go until a deal must be struck, the Prime Minister cannot keep ignoring this reality.

“She needs to urgently drop her reckless red lines and put forward a credible plan.”

Mrs May also rejected calls from some EU leaders for a fresh Brexit vote, insisting: “There will be no second referendum.”

Malta’s Joseph Muscat and Czech PM Andrej Babis,had added their weight to the campaign for another poll.

Mr Muscat said: “I think most of us would welcome a situation where there is the possibility of the British people putting things into perspective, seeing what has been negotiated, seeing the options and then deciding once and for all.”

A fresh vote would “solve the problem” of Brexit, claimed Mr Babis.

Meanwhile France’s president’ Emmanuel Macron branded leaders of the Leave campaign “liars”, who “left the next day, so they didn’t have to manage it”.

The PM needs to drop her reckless red lines and put forward a credible plan SIR KEIR STARMER SHADOW BREXIT SECRETARY YESTERDAY

FRIENDLESS Theresa May at EU summit yesterday

ANGRY The Prime Minister

TAKING THE CAKE BRITAIN has been accused of wanting to “cherry pick” and “have its cake and eat it” in Brexit negotiations. So EU chief Donald Tusk seized the chance to troll Theresa May in a barbed Instagram post.Sharing a picture of himself helping her to a cupcake during a buffet at the Salzburg summit, he added the comment: “A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries.”It is unlikely the PM ate the treat herself – she is a type 1 diabetic and avoids cakes and desserts, opting for fruit instead.