Now’s the time for Brexit deal

– British Prime Minister Theresa May said last night that “now is the time” to make a Brexit deal happen, but officials said she failed to offer new proposals to break the impasse at a crucial Brussels summit.

May pitched her vision of how to save the talks to European Union leaders left frustrated by a dramatic breakdown in negotiations on Sunday, just months before Brexit day on March 29.

Antonio Tajani, the president of the European Parliament who heard the speech, said May offered them “nothing substantially new” to discuss when they retired for dinner afterwards without her.

But he said she was “not against” the idea of accepting a one year extension in the transition period after Brexit to take the heat out of the most contentious issue – the fate of the Irish border.

“I sense a political will to make headway,” he said.

Several leaders had already indicated they have no hopes of a breakthrough this week, with all eyes now on whether enough progress has been made to hold further talks in November.

Before the summit, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a stern warning that Europe must be prepared for a no-deal Brexit, while France has also stepped up its planning for the potentially catastrophic scenario. –

Brussels