Despite Brexit defeat at home, May urges EU to move ahead

Brussels, December 14 

British Prime Minister Theresa May today urged European Union leaders to approve an agreement to move Brexit talks on to a second phase, hours after an embarrassing parliamentary defeat at home that weakens her hand.

At the dinner in Brussels, May repeated her case for unlocking talks to unravel more than 40 years of union to allow for the discussion of future trade relations, which she sees as crucial to offering certainty for businesses.

The 27 other EU leaders are all but certain to approve the deal to move to second phase on Friday, after May has left Brussels, launching a new stage of talks that could be hampered by divisions at home and differences with the EU.

Acknowledging the tough negotiations ahead, Donald Tusk, chairman of the EU leaders, warned them that only their unity displayed so far in the Brexit talks would deliver a good deal.

A senior British government official said the PM would press for a quick agreement on a transition deal to allow businesses to adapt to life after Brexit.

“The PM will say that reaching the agreement on phase one has required give and take on both sides but a fair outcome has been achieved,” the official told reporters.

Phase one covered Britain’s Bill to the EU, the border with Ireland and the status of EU citizens in Britain.

After days of often fraught diplomacy, May rescued the initial deal last Friday, easing the concerns of her Northern Irish allies over the wording to protect a free border with EU member Ireland without separating the province from the UK. But there are hurdles still to negotiate. May and her cabinet are due next Tuesday to hold a discussion of senior ministers’ competing views on Britain’s future outside the EU, to remain close to the bloc or forge a new path. — Reuters

EUropean bloc ready for talks

• The EU is willing to start talks next month on a roughly two-year transition period to ease Britain out after March 2019 but wants more detail from London on what it wants before it will open trade negotiations from March
• Pro-Brexit lawmakers are concerned by a fall-back promise in the initial deal to have “full regulatory alignment” with the EU if there is no overall agreement on future ties, and fear that their desire for an independent Britain is being undermined
• The blow to May, already weakened after losing her Conservative Party’s majority in an election in June, in Parliament means that her government could now face a rush to pass the laws it needs to get ready for Brexit