May returns from Brussels trip with no concessions from EU
But PM insists European leaders are working hard to avoid a no-deal Brexit
EUROPEAN LEADERS have given Theresa May little hope of getting meaningful changes to her Withdrawal Agreement with time running out before the next set of crunch Brexit votes in the Commons next week.
The Prime Minister said senior European Union officials had shown a desire to work together with the UK to avoid a no-deal Brexit after a day of talks in Brussels yesterday, where she vowed to deliver the promised March 29 departure date.
She had hoped to secure legally-binding changes to the agreement reached last year after MPs passed a Commons motion ordering her to find “alternative arrangements” to the controversial Irish backstop element.
But in talks with the PM, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker underlined that the Withdrawal Agreement thrashed out last November would not be redrawn, though he held open the possibility of adding “more ambitious” wording to a document setting out plans for the future relationship.
And European Parliament president Antonio Tajani said: “We are open to being more ambitious on our future relations, including looking at the Irish situation again if the UK’s red lines change.”
The Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt raised concerns among eurosceptics in the UK by saying that Mrs May had assured him that “there will be a backstop” in any final deal.
The controversial backstop, which offers an insurance policy to avoid a hard Irish border after Brexit, is the biggest obstacle to securing parliamentary backing for Mrs May’s deal.
A joint statement issued after talks between Mrs May and Mr Juncker yesterday said: “Despite the challenges, the two leaders agreed that their teams should hold talks as to whether a way through can be found that would gain the broadest possible support in the UK Parliament and respect the guidelines agreed by the European Council.”
The PM later said: “I have set out very clearly the position from Parliament that we must have legally binding changes to the Withdrawal Agreement in order to deal with Parliament’s concerns over the backstop.
“What I see and hear from leaders is a desire for us to work together to ensure that we can deliver the UK leaving the European Union with a deal.
“My work is to deliver Brexit, to deliver it on time and I am going to be negotiating hard in the coming days to do just that.”
Mrs May was offered a chink of light by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who again ruled out reopening the Withdrawal Agreement, but said she believed “solutions” could be found.
Mrs May travels to Dublin today for talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar focused on the Northern Ireland backstop, which remains the key sticking point in the negotiations.
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will then meet the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday to open discussions on possible solutions to end the impasse.
The Prime Minister and Mr Juncker have also agreed to meet
again before the end of February to take stock of the situation.
Mrs May is expected to make a statement to MPs on Wednesday setting out the latest situation. Then on Thursday there will be a another debate on a “neutral” motion, with an opportunity for MPs to put down amendments which can then be voted on.
After MPs in the Commons defeated her original Brexit plan by a historic margin last month, the Prime Minister is also required to stage a further “meaningful vote” but reports suggest she will wait to the end of February before doing so.