The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
May insists Brexit deal is achievable as talks stall
Prime minister calls for ‘cool, calm heads to prevail’ ahead of crunch EU summit
Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted that a Brexit deal is still “achievable” despite deadlock in negotiations just days ahead of a crunch European Council summit.
Mrs May called for “cool, calm heads to prevail” after talks last weekend failed to bridge differences between the UK and EU over the future status of the border in Ireland.
And she warned of the danger that failure to reach agreement over the border could result in the UK leaving the EU without a deal in March next year.
The prime minister was addressing the House of Commons just two days before she travels to Brussels for a summit at which it had initially been hoped to finalise the UK’s withdrawal agreement as well as a political declaration on future trade and security relations.
In a letter to EU leaders ahead of the summit, president of the European Council Donald Tusk said: “The European Council will start on Wednesday evening with a debate on Brexit.
“I have invited Prime Minister May to address the EU27, giving the UK Government’s assessment of the negotiations.
“Later at 27, we will decide on how to take the negotiations forward, on the basis of a recommendation by our chief negotiator, Michel Barnier.
“As you remember from Salzburg, we wished for maximum progress and results that would lead to a deal in October. As things stand today, it has proven to be more complicated than some may have expected.
“We should nevertheless remain hopeful and determined, as there is good will to continue these talks on both sides. But at the same time, responsible as we are, we must prepare the EU for a no-deal scenario, which is more likely than ever before. Like the UK, the Commission has started such preparations, and will give us an update during the meeting.
“But let me be absolutely clear. The fact that we are preparing for a no-deal scenario must not, under any circumstances, lead us away from making every effort to reach the best agreement possible, for all sides.
“This is what our state of mind should be at this stage. As someone rightly said: ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ Let us not give up.”