PM May resolute as Euro leaders shred Brexit plan

Politics: No movement from either side at summit

Theresa May remains wedded to her Brexit plan despite being told it “will not work” at a summit of European Union leaders, setting up a tense month of negotiations as time runs out to reach a deal.

The Prime Minister said the Chequers blueprint is the only proposal on the table as the deadline approaches, with the next leaders’ meeting in October set to be a “moment of truth”.

But Mrs May indicated the UK will unveil new measures on the Northern Irish border in a bid to break the deadlock.

Speaking at the end of a two-day EU summit in Austria – during which she had a meeting with Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar – Mrs May said the UK will “shortly” come forward with new proposals on the so-called “backstop” arrangements for implementation at the border if no long-term solution is found.

Mrs May, who also held “frank” face-to-face talks with European Council president Donald Tusk at the Salzburg summit, insisted Chequers is the “only serious and credible proposition” for a deal.

But Mr Tusk said the 27 other EU leaders had agreed the plans need to be redrawn.

“Everybody 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 is undermining the single market,” he said at the conclusion of the two-day meeting.

Individual leaders of EU nations were equally blunt. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said “substantial progress” is needed over the next four weeks, while French President Emmanuel Macron said leaders of the Brexit campaign who told British voters it would be easy were “liars” and leaving the EU was “not without costs”.

‘CREDIBLE’: Theresa May insisted the Chequers plan was still the basis for a deal at the meeting of EU leaders