Prime Minister Theresa&nbsp;May&nbsp;on Tuesday will plead&nbsp;with MPs to give her more time for talks with EU officials on her Brexit deal, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hold-your-nerve-on-brexit-pm-may-to-tell-british-lawmakers-196877">telling them they must hold their nerve</a>.

May&nbsp;is set to update parliament on her latest meetings in Brussels and Dublin aimed at securing a divorce agreement with the EU, with Britain due to leave the bloc on March 29.

"The talks are at a crucial stage,"&nbsp;May&nbsp;will say, according to extracts from her statement to parliament released in advance by her Downing Street office.

MPs last month overwhelmingly rejected the deal struck between&nbsp;May&nbsp;and Brussels and the British premier has since been attempting to secure changes that would satisfy parliament's lower House of Commons.

Brexiteer MPs in her Conservative Party are particularly unhappy with the so-called backstop provision intended to keep the border with Ireland free-flowing.

Some fear it could leave Britain trapped in the European Union's trade rules with no unilateral way out -- but would back a deal if the backstop was time-limited or replaced with alternative arrangements.

"We now all need to hold our nerve to get the changes this house has required and deliver Brexit on time,"&nbsp;May&nbsp;is due to tell MPs.

"By getting the changes we need to the backstop; by protecting and enhancing workers' rights and environmental protections; and by enhancing the role of parliament in the next phase of negotiations I believe we can reach a deal that this house can support."

Plea for time

Commons Leader Andrea said on BBC radio that&nbsp;May&nbsp;was not simply "running down the clock" until March 29. &nbsp;

"What the prime minister wants is a bit more time," she said.

She said&nbsp;May&nbsp;would promise MPs they could hold a series of votes on February 27 in an attempt to influence her Brexit strategy if she has not agreed a new deal by then.

Leadsom, responsible for bringing government business through parliament, said the talks were "pretty crucial but delicate negotiations with the EU to try to make sure that we can sort out the problem with an unlimited backstop".

"It would be an extraordinary outcome if the thing that the backstop is seeking to avoid, which is a hard border in Northern Ireland, if the EU were so determined to be completely intransigent about it that they actually incur the very thing that they're seeking to avoid by pushing the UK into a position where we leave without a deal."

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and David Lidington,&nbsp;May's de facto deputy, are in Strasbourg meeting members of the European Parliament, while British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is in Paris as part of a diplomatic offensive.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has called for "clarity and movement" from Britain.

In an effort to break the impasse, Barclay hosted Barnier for a working dinner at the British ambassador's residence in Brussels late Monday, with concern growing on both sides of the Channel.

Speaking afterwards, Barnier said the talks had been "constructive".

"We are clear from our side that we are not going to reopen the withdrawal agreement, but we will continue our discussion in the coming days," he told journalists.

Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday will plead with MPs to give her more time for talks with EU officials on her Brexit deal, telling them they must hold their nerve.

Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday will plead with MPs to give her more time for talks with EU officials on her Brexit deal, telling them they must hold their nerve. May is set to update parliament on her latest meetings in Brussels and Dublin aimed at securing a divorce agreement with the EU, with Britain due to leave the bloc on March 29. "The talks are at a crucial stage," May will say, according to extracts from her statement to parliament released in advance by her Downing Street office. MPs last month overwhelmingly rejected the deal struck between May and Brussels and the British premier has since been attempting to secure changes that would satisfy parliament's lower House of Commons. Brexiteer MPs in her Conservative Party are particularly unhappy with the so-called backstop provision intended to keep the border with Ireland free-flowing. Some fear it could leave Britain trapped in the European Union's trade rules with no unilateral way out -- but would back a deal if the backstop was time-limited or replaced with alternative arrangements. "We now all need to hold our nerve to get the changes this house has required and deliver Brexit on time," May is due to tell MPs. "By getting the changes we need to the backstop; by protecting and enhancing workers' rights and environmental protections; and by enhancing the role of parliament in the next phase of negotiations I believe we can reach a deal that this house can support." Plea for time Commons Leader Andrea said on BBC radio that May was not simply "running down the clock" until March 29. "What the prime minister wants is a bit more time," she said. She said May would promise MPs they could hold a series of votes on February 27 in an attempt to influence her Brexit strategy if she has not agreed a new deal by then. Leadsom, responsible for bringing government business through parliament, said the talks were "pretty crucial but delicate negotiations with the EU to try to make sure that we can sort out the problem with an unlimited backstop". "It would be an extraordinary outcome if the thing that the backstop is seeking to avoid, which is a hard border in Northern Ireland, if the EU were so determined to be completely intransigent about it that they actually incur the very thing that they're seeking to avoid by pushing the UK into a position where we leave without a deal." Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and David Lidington, May's de facto deputy, are in Strasbourg meeting members of the European Parliament, while British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is in Paris as part of a diplomatic offensive. The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has called for "clarity and movement" from Britain. In an effort to break the impasse, Barclay hosted Barnier for a working dinner at the British ambassador's residence in Brussels late Monday, with concern growing on both sides of the Channel. Speaking afterwards, Barnier said the talks had been "constructive". "We are clear from our side that we are not going to reopen the withdrawal agreement, but we will continue our discussion in the coming days," he told journalists.

May to ask MPs for more time on Brexit talks

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/theresa-may-survives-confidence-vote-but-her-brexit-deal-is-still-in-deep-trouble-183608">British Prime Minister Theresa</a> May has rejected the idea of targeting a customs union with the European Union, pouring cold water on hopes from some that she could shift her Brexit policy to win over the opposition Labour Party.

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29 but has yet to find a deal which is acceptable to both Brussels and lawmakers at home, raising the prospect of a disorderly exit that could damage the world's fifth largest economy.

Brexit has divided Britain at every level from voters to the cabinet and raised fears internationally that it will weaken the West. Brexit supporters hail it as casting off a failing German-led project.

Last week, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn set out the conditions under which he would instruct his party to support an exit deal in parliament. Foremost was a demand that May seek a "permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union".

The EU has urged May to grasp Labour's compromise offer rather than press ahead with her preferred option of getting her own divided party onside by renegotiating a clause in the exit agreement relating to the Northern Irish border.

But May's office published her reply to Corbyn late on Sunday, showing little appetite for a U-turn which would risk splitting her fractious party by ruling out the scope for Britain to strike its own trade deals around the world.

"I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deal?" May wrote in a three-page letter.

May and her government have repeatedly said membership of a customs union would prevent it from having an independent trade policy - something they have promoted as one of the main economic benefits of leaving the EU.

Although May welcomed the prospect of future talks with Corbyn to try and find a compromise, the letter gave no ground on their central point of disagreement.

That leaves May battling to persuade a reluctant EU to look again at the Irish backstop - a fallback policy designed to prevent the resurrection of a hard border in Ireland if talks to find a long-term trade arrangement fail.

Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday ahead of a crunch moment in parliament on Thursday when lawmakers will try to force May to change course or give up control of the exit process.

May will promise lawmakers a second opportunity to influence the Brexit talks later in the month in a bid to stave off any rebellion from within her own party by those who fear Britain could end up leaving without a deal.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected the idea of targeting a customs union with the European Union, pouring cold water on hopes from some that she could shift her Brexit policy to win over the opposition Labour Party.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected the idea of targeting a customs union with the European Union, pouring cold water on hopes from some that she could shift her Brexit policy to win over the opposition Labour Party. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29 but has yet to find a deal which is acceptable to both Brussels and lawmakers at home, raising the prospect of a disorderly exit that could damage the world's fifth largest economy. Brexit has divided Britain at every level from voters to the cabinet and raised fears internationally that it will weaken the West. Brexit supporters hail it as casting off a failing German-led project. Last week, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn set out the conditions under which he would instruct his party to support an exit deal in parliament. Foremost was a demand that May seek a "permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union". The EU has urged May to grasp Labour's compromise offer rather than press ahead with her preferred option of getting her own divided party onside by renegotiating a clause in the exit agreement relating to the Northern Irish border. But May's office published her reply to Corbyn late on Sunday, showing little appetite for a U-turn which would risk splitting her fractious party by ruling out the scope for Britain to strike its own trade deals around the world. "I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deal?" May wrote in a three-page letter. May and her government have repeatedly said membership of a customs union would prevent it from having an independent trade policy - something they have promoted as one of the main economic benefits of leaving the EU. Although May welcomed the prospect of future talks with Corbyn to try and find a compromise, the letter gave no ground on their central point of disagreement. That leaves May battling to persuade a reluctant EU to look again at the Irish backstop - a fallback policy designed to prevent the resurrection of a hard border in Ireland if talks to find a long-term trade arrangement fail. Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday ahead of a crunch moment in parliament on Thursday when lawmakers will try to force May to change course or give up control of the exit process. May will promise lawmakers a second opportunity to influence the Brexit talks later in the month in a bid to stave off any rebellion from within her own party by those who fear Britain could end up leaving without a deal.

UK PM May rejects pivot towards Brexit customs union compromise

The week that was in pictures

The British parliament is set to hold a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uks-may-to-promise-new-brexit-debate-in-push-for-more-negotiating-time-196441">debate on Brexit</a> on February 14 but this is not a re-run of a vote last month on whether to approve the exit deal Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiated with the European Union.

May is seeking changes to her deal with Brussels after it was rejected by a record majority in parliament on January 15. She has said she wants to bring a revised deal back to parliament for a vote "as soon as possible" but has not yet set a date for doing so.

She has promised that, if she has not brought her deal back for a so-called "meaningful vote" by February 13, lawmakers will get to debate Brexit on February 14.

Below is what will happen on that day:

What will they debate?&nbsp;

May will make a statement to parliament on February 13 updating lawmakers on her progress so far in seeking changes to her deal.

The debate on February 14 will be on a motion -- a proposal put forward for debate -- about Brexit more generally. The previous similar debate on January 29 was on a motion which simply asked lawmakers to agree that they had considered May's latest statement on the Brexit negotiations.

Can lawmakers propose changes?&nbsp;

Yes. As with the January 29 debate, lawmakers will be able to propose changes, known as amendments. It is likely that many amendments similar to those debated on January 29 will be proposed, including attempts to shift control of the process away from government and give parliament a chance to define Brexit.

As with January 29, if these are successful they could have a profound effect, giving lawmakers who want to block, delay or renegotiate Brexit a possible legal route to do so.

With the EU saying so far that they are not willing to reopen talks on the Withdrawal Agreement, other lawmakers are likely to propose alternatives to May's deal to gauge support for them and persuade the prime minister to change course by seeking closer EU ties or holding a second referendum.

An attempt by Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper and Conservative Nick Boles to give parliament the power to request a delay to Britain's March 29 exit was defeated by lawmakers on January 29, but Boles said he would renew that effort on February 14 if a deal has not been passed by then.

The government persuaded many lawmakers not to support that previous attempt by promising them that it would not be their last chance to seek to stop a 'no-deal' departure from the EU as they would get to debate Brexit again on February 14.

On Wednesday, a Conservative lawmaker involved in discussions with the government about changes to the deal said that if May could demonstrate that the EU was willing to renegotiate, she would buy herself some more time and avoid a potential flashpoint in parliament on February 14.

Will there be votes?&nbsp;

The Speaker, John Bercow, will decide whether to select any of the amendments for a vote. Lawmakers will vote on each of the selected amendments one by one, before voting to give final approval to the wording of the motion itself.

Before the debate begins, lawmakers will have to agree to the proposed timetable for the debate, currently just one day. If lawmakers believe that more than one day is needed, the votes could, in theory, be pushed into the following week.

Will it definitely go ahead?&nbsp;

If May succeeds in winning changes to her Brexit deal in the next few days she could bring it back for a debate and vote before February 14, and this more general debate would not go ahead. However, she is not expected to secure any changes before then.

British media have reported a fresh vote on May's deal is most likely to happen in the week of February 25 at the earliest.

The government will give parliament another chance to debate the issue by February 27 using the same format described above, if a deal has not been agreed before then.

The British parliament is set to hold a debate on Brexit on February 14 but this is not a re-run of a vote last month on whether to approve the exit deal Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiated with the European Union.

The British parliament is set to hold a debate on Brexit on February 14 but this is not a re-run of a vote last month on whether to approve the exit deal Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiated with the European Union. May is seeking changes to her deal with Brussels after it was rejected by a record majority in parliament on January 15. She has said she wants to bring a revised deal back to parliament for a vote "as soon as possible" but has not yet set a date for doing so. She has promised that, if she has not brought her deal back for a so-called "meaningful vote" by February 13, lawmakers will get to debate Brexit on February 14. Below is what will happen on that day: What will they debate? May will make a statement to parliament on February 13 updating lawmakers on her progress so far in seeking changes to her deal. The debate on February 14 will be on a motion -- a proposal put forward for debate -- about Brexit more generally. The previous similar debate on January 29 was on a motion which simply asked lawmakers to agree that they had considered May's latest statement on the Brexit negotiations. Can lawmakers propose changes? Yes. As with the January 29 debate, lawmakers will be able to propose changes, known as amendments. It is likely that many amendments similar to those debated on January 29 will be proposed, including attempts to shift control of the process away from government and give parliament a chance to define Brexit. As with January 29, if these are successful they could have a profound effect, giving lawmakers who want to block, delay or renegotiate Brexit a possible legal route to do so. With the EU saying so far that they are not willing to reopen talks on the Withdrawal Agreement, other lawmakers are likely to propose alternatives to May's deal to gauge support for them and persuade the prime minister to change course by seeking closer EU ties or holding a second referendum. An attempt by Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper and Conservative Nick Boles to give parliament the power to request a delay to Britain's March 29 exit was defeated by lawmakers on January 29, but Boles said he would renew that effort on February 14 if a deal has not been passed by then. The government persuaded many lawmakers not to support that previous attempt by promising them that it would not be their last chance to seek to stop a 'no-deal' departure from the EU as they would get to debate Brexit again on February 14. On Wednesday, a Conservative lawmaker involved in discussions with the government about changes to the deal said that if May could demonstrate that the EU was willing to renegotiate, she would buy herself some more time and avoid a potential flashpoint in parliament on February 14. Will there be votes? The Speaker, John Bercow, will decide whether to select any of the amendments for a vote. Lawmakers will vote on each of the selected amendments one by one, before voting to give final approval to the wording of the motion itself. Before the debate begins, lawmakers will have to agree to the proposed timetable for the debate, currently just one day. If lawmakers believe that more than one day is needed, the votes could, in theory, be pushed into the following week. Will it definitely go ahead? If May succeeds in winning changes to her Brexit deal in the next few days she could bring it back for a debate and vote before February 14, and this more general debate would not go ahead. However, she is not expected to secure any changes before then. British media have reported a fresh vote on May's deal is most likely to happen in the week of February 25 at the earliest. The government will give parliament another chance to debate the issue by February 27 using the same format described above, if a deal has not been agreed before then.

Brexit: What will happen in the British parliament on February 14?

British Prime Minister Theresa May will pledge this week to give parliament another chance to voice their opinions on Brexit by February 27 as she tries to buy more time to negotiate a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/irish-prime-minister-says-brexit-deal-can-be-done-196135">new deal with the European Union</a>.

As the clock ticks down to Britain's scheduled exit on March 29, May is trying to persuade the EU to change a deal that was agreed between London and Brussels late last year but overwhelmingly rejected by parliament in January.

May wants to win over lawmakers in her Conservative Party with changes relating to the Northern Irish border, but the EU has refused to reopen that part of the deal and instead wants May to pursue a compromise with the main opposition Labour Party by agreeing closer UK-EU ties.

The impasse has left the world's fifth largest economy facing an uncertain future, rattling financial markets and businesses about the prospect of a disorderly exit from the bloc that could damage the economy.

Housing minister James Brokenshire said on Sunday, May would commit to giving parliament another debate on Brexit with the chance to vote on alternative options, if a deal had not yet been agreed and voted upon by then.

May is already due to update parliament on her progress towards a deal on Wednesday and then on Thursday to give parliament a chance to express their opinion. The new pledge would be for a repeat of this process by February 27.

"That gives that sense of timetable, clarity, and purpose on what we're doing with the EU - taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal - but equally knowing that role that parliament very firmly has," Brokenshire told the BBC.

Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday to discuss changes to the part of the exit deal relating to the 'backstop', an insurance policy against the return of a hard border between EU member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland.

Emergency zone

Labour's Brexit policy chief Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times newspaper that his party would seek to use the debate in parliament this week to prevent May from waiting until the last minute to come back with a deal, and compel her to present a fresh accord for lawmakers to consider before February 26.

"We shouldn’t be put in a position where the clock is run down and the prime minister says it's either my deal or even worse. That isn’t right in terms of the respect for parliament," said Starmer.

The head of the business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry warned that the chances of Britain leaving the EU next month without a deal have increased and the country has now entered "the emergency zone".

May will ask lawmakers on Thursday to reaffirm that they support her bid to renegotiate the backstop, a government source said. The backstop is the main obstacle to securing agreement on the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the EU.

May's opponents are expected to put forward a series of alternative approaches which will be voted upon, although it is not clear yet whether any will have sufficient support to pass, and if they do, whether they will force the government to act.

Labour's plan, which has yet to be published in detail, will be among the options discussed on Thursday.

An opinion poll published in the Independent newspaper on Sunday showed 53 per cent of British voters would support a delay in Brexit, while 33 per cent would back a no-deal Brexit even it that harmed the economy.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will pledge this week to give parliament another chance to voice their opinions on Brexit by February 27 as she tries to buy more time to negotiate a new deal with the European Union.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will pledge this week to give parliament another chance to voice their opinions on Brexit by February 27 as she tries to buy more time to negotiate a new deal with the European Union. As the clock ticks down to Britain's scheduled exit on March 29, May is trying to persuade the EU to change a deal that was agreed between London and Brussels late last year but overwhelmingly rejected by parliament in January. May wants to win over lawmakers in her Conservative Party with changes relating to the Northern Irish border, but the EU has refused to reopen that part of the deal and instead wants May to pursue a compromise with the main opposition Labour Party by agreeing closer UK-EU ties. The impasse has left the world's fifth largest economy facing an uncertain future, rattling financial markets and businesses about the prospect of a disorderly exit from the bloc that could damage the economy. Housing minister James Brokenshire said on Sunday, May would commit to giving parliament another debate on Brexit with the chance to vote on alternative options, if a deal had not yet been agreed and voted upon by then. May is already due to update parliament on her progress towards a deal on Wednesday and then on Thursday to give parliament a chance to express their opinion. The new pledge would be for a repeat of this process by February 27. "That gives that sense of timetable, clarity, and purpose on what we're doing with the EU - taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal - but equally knowing that role that parliament very firmly has," Brokenshire told the BBC. Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday to discuss changes to the part of the exit deal relating to the 'backstop', an insurance policy against the return of a hard border between EU member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland. Emergency zone Labour's Brexit policy chief Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times newspaper that his party would seek to use the debate in parliament this week to prevent May from waiting until the last minute to come back with a deal, and compel her to present a fresh accord for lawmakers to consider before February 26. "We shouldn’t be put in a position where the clock is run down and the prime minister says it's either my deal or even worse. That isn’t right in terms of the respect for parliament," said Starmer. The head of the business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry warned that the chances of Britain leaving the EU next month without a deal have increased and the country has now entered "the emergency zone". May will ask lawmakers on Thursday to reaffirm that they support her bid to renegotiate the backstop, a government source said. The backstop is the main obstacle to securing agreement on the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the EU. May's opponents are expected to put forward a series of alternative approaches which will be voted upon, although it is not clear yet whether any will have sufficient support to pass, and if they do, whether they will force the government to act. Labour's plan, which has yet to be published in detail, will be among the options discussed on Thursday. An opinion poll published in the Independent newspaper on Sunday showed 53 per cent of British voters would support a delay in Brexit, while 33 per cent would back a no-deal Brexit even it that harmed the economy.

UK's May to promise new Brexit debate in push for more negotiating time

Irish PM Varadkar says deal 'can be done' on Brexit

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-now-sees-brexit-unstoppable-aims-to-avert-fiasco-195657">Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May</a> heads back to meet EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday as she seeks a way to avoid a no deal Brexit in 50 days time.

Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement.

The president of the European Commission, Juncker, told reporters May already knows and accepts that the Union will not re-open talks on the deal.

And Tusk, who represents EU member governments as head of the European Council, triggered outrage across the Channel by damning pro-Brexit politicians for -- in his view -- recklessly failing to plan.

"I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said.

Juncker, at a later news conference, did not use the same language, but cheerfully laughed off Tusk's remark.

But he also repeated the same warning that the withdrawal agreement, and the backstop clause designed to keep the Irish border open if no future trade deal is agreed, will not be changed.

"She knows that the commission is not prepared to reopen the issue," Juncker said, after talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who also insisted on the need for the backstop.

This apparently united front did not daunt Number 10, who insisted that the British parliament's rejection of the deal meant that May must seek material changes to the accord or see it fail.

According to talking points provided by Downing Street ahead of the visit, May will admit that: "Securing such changes will not be easy."&nbsp;

But she will add: "Last week, Parliament made clear that for the first time it could support the withdrawal agreement, subject to changes to the backstop.

"The Government now wants urgently to work with the EU to secure such changes. The EU shares the UK's commitment to leave with a deal. We must show determination and do what it takes to now get the deal over the line."&nbsp;

The impasse in Brussels has led to heightened fears Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal on March 29, disrupting trade and supplies to manufacturing.

Tusk and Juncker said they look forward to hosting May on Thursday, and Varadkar will have dinner with her in Dublin on Friday.

Offering warm support for his Irish guest, Tusk said the European Union "will not gamble with peace" on the Irish border by removing the backstop from the deal.

"I hope that tomorrow we will hear from Prime Minister May a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse," he said.

But he added: "A sense of responsibility also tells us to prepare for a possible fiasco."&nbsp;

Varadkar, whose government has stressed the importance of maintaining an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, thanked Tusk.

"While we expect the backstop will never be used, we agreed again today it is needed as a legal guarantee to ensure there is no return to a hard border," he said.

On Wednesday, May discussed the issue with Northern Irish leaders in the British province.

Last month, the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected the Brexit deal that May had negotiated with the EU after 18 months of painstaking diplomacy.

May is now looking into changes to satisfy her MPs, who fear the backstop would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules with even closer alignment for Northern Ireland.

May's spokesman stressed that she wasn't coming to Brussels to ask for more time and remained determined to deliver a Brexit deal before the March 29th deadline.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May heads back to meet EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday as she seeks a way to avoid a no deal Brexit in 50 days time. Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May heads back to meet EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday as she seeks a way to avoid a no deal Brexit in 50 days time. Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement. The president of the European Commission, Juncker, told reporters May already knows and accepts that the Union will not re-open talks on the deal. And Tusk, who represents EU member governments as head of the European Council, triggered outrage across the Channel by damning pro-Brexit politicians for -- in his view -- recklessly failing to plan. "I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said. Juncker, at a later news conference, did not use the same language, but cheerfully laughed off Tusk's remark. But he also repeated the same warning that the withdrawal agreement, and the backstop clause designed to keep the Irish border open if no future trade deal is agreed, will not be changed. "She knows that the commission is not prepared to reopen the issue," Juncker said, after talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who also insisted on the need for the backstop. This apparently united front did not daunt Number 10, who insisted that the British parliament's rejection of the deal meant that May must seek material changes to the accord or see it fail. According to talking points provided by Downing Street ahead of the visit, May will admit that: "Securing such changes will not be easy." But she will add: "Last week, Parliament made clear that for the first time it could support the withdrawal agreement, subject to changes to the backstop. "The Government now wants urgently to work with the EU to secure such changes. The EU shares the UK's commitment to leave with a deal. We must show determination and do what it takes to now get the deal over the line." The impasse in Brussels has led to heightened fears Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal on March 29, disrupting trade and supplies to manufacturing. Tusk and Juncker said they look forward to hosting May on Thursday, and Varadkar will have dinner with her in Dublin on Friday. Offering warm support for his Irish guest, Tusk said the European Union "will not gamble with peace" on the Irish border by removing the backstop from the deal. "I hope that tomorrow we will hear from Prime Minister May a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse," he said. But he added: "A sense of responsibility also tells us to prepare for a possible fiasco." Varadkar, whose government has stressed the importance of maintaining an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, thanked Tusk. "While we expect the backstop will never be used, we agreed again today it is needed as a legal guarantee to ensure there is no return to a hard border," he said. On Wednesday, May discussed the issue with Northern Irish leaders in the British province. Last month, the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected the Brexit deal that May had negotiated with the EU after 18 months of painstaking diplomacy. May is now looking into changes to satisfy her MPs, who fear the backstop would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules with even closer alignment for Northern Ireland. May's spokesman stressed that she wasn't coming to Brussels to ask for more time and remained determined to deliver a Brexit deal before the March 29th deadline.

Government wants to urgently work with  EU: May on Brexit plan

Britain and the EU agreed Thursday to hold <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/may-back-in-brussels-for-latest-brexit-showdown-195815">more talks to try to avoid a no-deal Brexit</a>, after a "robust" meeting between Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.

A joint statement issued after the talks in Brussels said Juncker had again warned that &nbsp;November's withdrawal agreement could not be renegotiated -- after May came hoping to persuade Brussels to agree on the need to change the so-called "backstop" clause for the Irish border.

But Juncker "expressed his openness to add wording" to a parallel political declaration laying out ambitions for future EU-UK ties if London wants to seek a "more ambitious" closer relationship after Brexit.

In a sharp reminder of the urgency of finding a solution before Brexit day on March 29, Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned that Britain's economy was "not yet prepared" for a no-deal departure.

May came hoping to change the backstop so that Britain cannot be "trapped" in the bloc against its will -- and by doing so win over enough MPs at home to get the deal through parliament.

She reminded Juncker that the British parliament had mandated her to seek "a legally binding change to the terms of the backstop", but instead was offered a fresh round of talks. EU negotiator Michel Barnier will now meet British Brexit Minister Stephen Barclay in Strasbourg on Monday.

May herself will meet Juncker again before the end of February, a commission spokesman said.

A stony-faced May shook hands stiffly with Juncker as she arrived at commission headquarters, refusing to answer questions, but she was expected to make a statement later Thursday.

Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement.

Juncker told reporters May already knows and accepts that the Union will not reopen talks on the deal, while Tusk, who represents EU member governments as head of the European Council, triggered outrage across the Channel by damning pro-Brexit politicians for -- in his view -- recklessly failing to plan.&nbsp;

"I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said.

- 'Don't gamble with peace' - 
But even this latest demonstration of EU unity did not deter Downing Street, which insisted May's top priority on the trip was to "find a way to guarantee we cannot, and will not, be trapped in the backstop".

Number 10 said that because the British parliament rejected the deal, May must seek material changes to the accord or see it fail.

The impasse in Brussels has deepened fears that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal on March 29, disrupting trade and supplies to manufacturing.

May has exasperated EU leaders by repeatedly coming to Brussels without detailed proposals to solve the Brexit deadlock, and Tusk warned her he expected her to bring "a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse".

Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the main opposition Labour party, wrote to May on Thursday setting out his five conditions for backing her on Brexit -- including the UK staying in the EU's customs union.

While his demands will not be palatable to many in May's Conservative party -- not least because of the deeply entrenched tribalism of British politics -- it suggests there may be room for manoeuvre, if not yet a clear path to a cross-party deal.

After seeing Tusk and Juncker on Thursday, May will have dinner with her Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar &nbsp;Dublin on Friday.

Painstaking talks 
Varadkar, whose government has stressed the importance of maintaining an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, said recent "instability in British politics" showed why a backstop was essential.

On Wednesday, May discussed the issue with Northern Irish leaders in the British province.

Last month, the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected the Brexit deal that May had negotiated with the EU after 18 months of painstaking diplomacy.

May is now looking into changes to satisfy her MPs, who fear the backstop would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules with even closer alignment for Northern Ireland.

May's spokesman stressed that she was not coming to Brussels to ask for more time and remained determined to deliver a Brexit deal before the March 29 deadline.

Britain and the EU agreed Thursday to hold more talks to try to avoid a no-deal Brexit, after a "robust" meeting between Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.

Britain and the EU agreed Thursday to hold more talks to try to avoid a no-deal Brexit, after a "robust" meeting between Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker. A joint statement issued after the talks in Brussels said Juncker had again warned that November's withdrawal agreement could not be renegotiated -- after May came hoping to persuade Brussels to agree on the need to change the so-called "backstop" clause for the Irish border. But Juncker "expressed his openness to add wording" to a parallel political declaration laying out ambitions for future EU-UK ties if London wants to seek a "more ambitious" closer relationship after Brexit. In a sharp reminder of the urgency of finding a solution before Brexit day on March 29, Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned that Britain's economy was "not yet prepared" for a no-deal departure. May came hoping to change the backstop so that Britain cannot be "trapped" in the bloc against its will -- and by doing so win over enough MPs at home to get the deal through parliament. She reminded Juncker that the British parliament had mandated her to seek "a legally binding change to the terms of the backstop", but instead was offered a fresh round of talks. EU negotiator Michel Barnier will now meet British Brexit Minister Stephen Barclay in Strasbourg on Monday. May herself will meet Juncker again before the end of February, a commission spokesman said. A stony-faced May shook hands stiffly with Juncker as she arrived at commission headquarters, refusing to answer questions, but she was expected to make a statement later Thursday. Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement. Juncker told reporters May already knows and accepts that the Union will not reopen talks on the deal, while Tusk, who represents EU member governments as head of the European Council, triggered outrage across the Channel by damning pro-Brexit politicians for -- in his view -- recklessly failing to plan. "I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said. - 'Don't gamble with peace' - But even this latest demonstration of EU unity did not deter Downing Street, which insisted May's top priority on the trip was to "find a way to guarantee we cannot, and will not, be trapped in the backstop". Number 10 said that because the British parliament rejected the deal, May must seek material changes to the accord or see it fail. The impasse in Brussels has deepened fears that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal on March 29, disrupting trade and supplies to manufacturing. May has exasperated EU leaders by repeatedly coming to Brussels without detailed proposals to solve the Brexit deadlock, and Tusk warned her he expected her to bring "a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse". Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the main opposition Labour party, wrote to May on Thursday setting out his five conditions for backing her on Brexit -- including the UK staying in the EU's customs union. While his demands will not be palatable to many in May's Conservative party -- not least because of the deeply entrenched tribalism of British politics -- it suggests there may be room for manoeuvre, if not yet a clear path to a cross-party deal. After seeing Tusk and Juncker on Thursday, May will have dinner with her Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar Dublin on Friday. Painstaking talks Varadkar, whose government has stressed the importance of maintaining an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, said recent "instability in British politics" showed why a backstop was essential. On Wednesday, May discussed the issue with Northern Irish leaders in the British province. Last month, the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected the Brexit deal that May had negotiated with the EU after 18 months of painstaking diplomacy. May is now looking into changes to satisfy her MPs, who fear the backstop would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules with even closer alignment for Northern Ireland. May's spokesman stressed that she was not coming to Brussels to ask for more time and remained determined to deliver a Brexit deal before the March 29 deadline.

May, EU's Juncker agree to more talks to try and avoid no-deal Brexit

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-hating-modi-the-opposition-has-begun-to-hate-the-nation-pm-modi-195852">In hating Modi, the Opposition has begun to hate the nation: PM</a>

While addressing the Motion of Thanks speech in Parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the developments done by his government during the last four years.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/may-back-in-brussels-for-latest-brexit-showdown-195815">Theresa May returns to Brussels trying desperately to avoid no-deal Brexit</a>

Britain's&nbsp;Prime Minister Theresa May&nbsp;returned to Brussels on Thursday for a showdown with EU leaders as she bids to avoid a calamitous no-deal Brexit in 50 days' time.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/you-have-played-with-order-of-supreme-court-god-help-you-chief-justice-of-india-to-cbi-195801">'You have played with </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/you-have-played-with-order-of-supreme-court-god-help-you-chief-justice-of-india-to-cbi-195801">order</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/you-have-played-with-order-of-supreme-court-god-help-you-chief-justice-of-india-to-cbi-195801"> of Supreme Court... God help you': Chief Justice of India to CBI</a>

The Supreme Court slammed the Central Bureau of Investigation Thursday, telling it that "you have played with order of Supreme Court of India. God help you."&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/centre-may-take-back-kolkata-police-chiefs-medals-mha-sources-195827">Centre may take back Kolkata Police chief's medals: Home ministry sources&nbsp;</a>

The Centre may take back Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar's medals, the news agency ANI quoted sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs as saying on Thursday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/rbi-cuts-repo-rate-by-25-basis-points-to-625-per-cent-195725">RBI cuts key interest rates; projects GDP growth at 7.4%, limit of collateral-free agriculture loans increased</a>

The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) today cut the&nbsp;repo rate by 25 basis points&nbsp;to 6.25 per cent. Repo rate is the interest at which the banks borrow from the central bank whenever it experiences a funds shortfall.&nbsp;

In hating Modi, the Opposition has begun to hate the nation: PM While addressing the Motion of Thanks speech in Parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the developments done by his government during the last four years.

In hating Modi, the Opposition has begun to hate the nation: PM While addressing the Motion of Thanks speech in Parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the developments done by his government during the last four years. Theresa May returns to Brussels trying desperately to avoid no-deal Brexit Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May returned to Brussels on Thursday for a showdown with EU leaders as she bids to avoid a calamitous no-deal Brexit in 50 days' time. 'You have played with order of Supreme Court... God help you': Chief Justice of India to CBI The Supreme Court slammed the Central Bureau of Investigation Thursday, telling it that "you have played with order of Supreme Court of India. God help you." Centre may take back Kolkata Police chief's medals: Home ministry sources The Centre may take back Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar's medals, the news agency ANI quoted sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs as saying on Thursday. RBI cuts key interest rates; projects GDP growth at 7.4%, limit of collateral-free agriculture loans increased The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) today cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent. Repo rate is the interest at which the banks borrow from the central bank whenever it experiences a funds shortfall.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Britain's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/government-wants-to-urgently-work-with-eu-may-on-brexit-plan-195694">Prime Minister Theresa May</a> returned to Brussels on Thursday for a showdown with EU leaders as she bids to avoid a calamitous no-deal Brexit in 50 days' time.

The stony-faced premier shook hands stiffly with Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, but refused to respond to questions as they entered EU headquarters.

May is to demand that Brussels agree on the need to change the so-called "backstop" for the Irish border in the withdrawal agreement so that Britain cannot be "trapped" in the bloc against its will.

Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-now-sees-brexit-unstoppable-aims-to-avert-fiasco-195657">EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement</a>.

Juncker, the president of the European Commission, told reporters that May already knows and accepts that the Union will not reopen talks on the deal.

And Tusk, who represents EU member governments as head of the European Council, triggered outrage across the Channel by damning pro-Brexit politicians for — in his view — recklessly failing to plan.&nbsp;

"I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said.

Juncker later repeated the same warning that the withdrawal agreement, and the backstop clause designed to keep the Irish border open if no future trade deal is agreed, will not be changed.&nbsp;

"She knows that the commission is not prepared to reopen the issue," Juncker said, after talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who also insisted on the need for the backstop.

'Don't gamble with peace'&nbsp;

But even this latest demonstration of EU unity did not deter Downing Street, which insisted May's top priority on the trip was to "find a way to guarantee we cannot, and will not, be trapped in the backstop".

Number 10 said that because the British parliament rejected the deal, May must seek material changes to the accord or see it fail.

When she meets Juncker, and later Tusk, the beleaguered British leader will admit that "securing such changes will not be easy", according to talking points released by Number 10.

But she will add: "Last week, Parliament made clear that for the first time it could support the withdrawal agreement, subject to changes to the backstop.&nbsp;

"The government now wants urgently to work with the EU to secure such changes. The EU shares the UK's commitment to leave with a deal. We must show determination and do what it takes to now get the deal over the line."

The impasse in Brussels has deepened fears that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal on March 29, disrupting trade and supplies to manufacturing.

May has exasperated EU leaders by repeatedly coming to Brussels without detailed proposals to solve the Brexit deadlock, and Tusk warned her he expected her to bring "a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse".

Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the main opposition Labour party, wrote to May on Thursday setting out his five conditions for backing her on Brexit — including the UK staying in the EU's customs union.

While his demands will not be palatable to many in May's Conservative party — not least because of the deeply entrenched tribalism of British politics — it suggests there may be room for manoeuvre, if not yet a clear path to a cross-party deal.

After seeing Tusk and Juncker on Thursday, May will have dinner with Varadkar in Dublin on Friday.

Painstaking talks&nbsp;

Varadkar, whose government has stressed the importance of maintaining an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, said recent "instability in British politics" showed why a backstop was essential.

On Wednesday, May discussed the issue with Northern Irish leaders in the British province.

Last month, the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected the Brexit deal that May had negotiated with the EU after 18 months of painstaking diplomacy.

May is now looking into changes to satisfy her MPs, who fear the backstop would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules with even closer alignment for Northern Ireland.

May's spokesman stressed that she was not coming to Brussels to ask for more time and remained determined to deliver a Brexit deal before the March 29 deadline.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May returned to Brussels on Thursday for a showdown with EU leaders as she bids to avoid a calamitous no-deal Brexit in 50 days' time.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May returned to Brussels on Thursday for a showdown with EU leaders as she bids to avoid a calamitous no-deal Brexit in 50 days' time. The stony-faced premier shook hands stiffly with Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, but refused to respond to questions as they entered EU headquarters. May is to demand that Brussels agree on the need to change the so-called "backstop" for the Irish border in the withdrawal agreement so that Britain cannot be "trapped" in the bloc against its will. Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement. Juncker, the president of the European Commission, told reporters that May already knows and accepts that the Union will not reopen talks on the deal. And Tusk, who represents EU member governments as head of the European Council, triggered outrage across the Channel by damning pro-Brexit politicians for — in his view — recklessly failing to plan. "I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said. Juncker later repeated the same warning that the withdrawal agreement, and the backstop clause designed to keep the Irish border open if no future trade deal is agreed, will not be changed. "She knows that the commission is not prepared to reopen the issue," Juncker said, after talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who also insisted on the need for the backstop. 'Don't gamble with peace' But even this latest demonstration of EU unity did not deter Downing Street, which insisted May's top priority on the trip was to "find a way to guarantee we cannot, and will not, be trapped in the backstop". Number 10 said that because the British parliament rejected the deal, May must seek material changes to the accord or see it fail. When she meets Juncker, and later Tusk, the beleaguered British leader will admit that "securing such changes will not be easy", according to talking points released by Number 10. But she will add: "Last week, Parliament made clear that for the first time it could support the withdrawal agreement, subject to changes to the backstop. "The government now wants urgently to work with the EU to secure such changes. The EU shares the UK's commitment to leave with a deal. We must show determination and do what it takes to now get the deal over the line." The impasse in Brussels has deepened fears that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal on March 29, disrupting trade and supplies to manufacturing. May has exasperated EU leaders by repeatedly coming to Brussels without detailed proposals to solve the Brexit deadlock, and Tusk warned her he expected her to bring "a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse". Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the main opposition Labour party, wrote to May on Thursday setting out his five conditions for backing her on Brexit — including the UK staying in the EU's customs union. While his demands will not be palatable to many in May's Conservative party — not least because of the deeply entrenched tribalism of British politics — it suggests there may be room for manoeuvre, if not yet a clear path to a cross-party deal. After seeing Tusk and Juncker on Thursday, May will have dinner with Varadkar in Dublin on Friday. Painstaking talks Varadkar, whose government has stressed the importance of maintaining an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, said recent "instability in British politics" showed why a backstop was essential. On Wednesday, May discussed the issue with Northern Irish leaders in the British province. Last month, the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected the Brexit deal that May had negotiated with the EU after 18 months of painstaking diplomacy. May is now looking into changes to satisfy her MPs, who fear the backstop would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules with even closer alignment for Northern Ireland. May's spokesman stressed that she was not coming to Brussels to ask for more time and remained determined to deliver a Brexit deal before the March 29 deadline.

Theresa May returns to Brussels trying desperately to avoid no-deal Brexit

Prime Minister Theresa May was in Brussels on Thursday to plead with EU leaders to change the Brexit divorce deal she negotiated last year, in order to get it through parliament, after they offered little hope they were willing to do so.

A cool handshake for the cameras with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker did little to conceal the tension, just 50 days before Britain could leave the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/eu-wont-re-open-brexit-deal-hope-may-will-have-new-proposals-donald-tusk-195619">European Union</a> without measures in place to keep trade flowing freely.

Neither spoke, with one reporter shouting to the retreating leaders: "Is this hell, prime minister?" EU summit chair Donald Tusk said on Wednesday that Brexit promoters deserved "a special place in hell" - a blunt display of frustration in Brussels that drew condemnation from many in Britain.

The London parliament, which rejected May's agreement by the biggest majority in modern British history, has voted to renegotiate the deal, replacing a provision that some fear could keep British-ruled Northern Ireland under EU rules indefinitely.

EU leaders have repeatedly said it would be impossible to replace the provision, known as the "backstop" because it is required to ensure no hard border, once a focus for sectarian violence, between Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland.

Unless parliament approves a deal, Britain is on course to leave the EU on March 29 with no transition arrangement in place, a scenario that many businesses say would be catastrophic for the economy. Other options could include delaying Brexit, holding a new referendum or cancelling it altogether.

May will return to parliament next week for a debate on the Brexit negotiations when lawmakers could again try to wrest control of the process from her, but a crunch vote on approving the Brexit deal is likely to come later in the month.

Both May's Conservative Party and the main opposition Labour Party are formally committed to carrying out Brexit following a 2016 referendum in which voters chose to leave the EU by a margin of 52-48 per cent. But both parties are deeply divided internally over how or even whether to do so.

In a letter to May released on Wednesday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn set out five conditions for Labour to support a deal. Those include a "permanent and comprehensive" customs union with the bloc, which May has ruled out.

Corbyn also demanded a close alignment with the single market, "unambiguous agreements" on future security arrangements and commitments on UK participation in EU agencies and funding programmes.

URGENT WORK

Before arriving in Brussels for talks with EU leaders, May acknowledged that her task would not be easy. A government source said a breakthrough on Thursday was not expected.

She will tell Juncker, Tusk and the European parliament's Antonio Tajani she wants to work "urgently" with them to secure changes to the deal reached in November.

Acknowledging that the agreement "was the product of much hard work and was negotiated in good faith", May will tell the leaders parliament had sent "an unequivocal message that change is required", according to her office.

"The government now wants urgently to work with the EU to secure such changes ... We must show determination and do what it takes to now get the deal over the line."

Tusk channelled the frustration in Brussels on Wednesday with unusually strong words, saying he wondered what "that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit, without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely."

British Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington played down the outburst: "I think Mr Tusk was venting yesterday," he told BBC radio.

"I would tell him it wasn't the most brilliant diplomacy in the world," Lidington said. "Anybody who has watched the House of Commons from time to time knows that intemperate and exaggerated language isn't something that only comes out of Brussels."

The main stumbling block to winning British parliamentary approval of the deal is the Northern Irish backstop, an insurance policy that requires some EU rules to operate in the British-ruled province unless another means can be agreed in future to guarantee a land border free from inspections.

Some lawmakers want May to remove the provision entirely, while others say they will accept a way for London to end it unilaterally, or legally-binding assurances that it would not lead to Britain being trapped in the EU's sphere indefinitely.

But the EU, and particularly Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar say they will not re-open the agreement. They argue that the political instability in Britain has only further proved the need for the backstop.

Prime Minister Theresa May was in Brussels on Thursday to plead with EU leaders to change the Brexit divorce deal she negotiated last year, in order to get it through parliament, after they offered little hope they were willing to do so.

Prime Minister Theresa May was in Brussels on Thursday to plead with EU leaders to change the Brexit divorce deal she negotiated last year, in order to get it through parliament, after they offered little hope they were willing to do so. A cool handshake for the cameras with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker did little to conceal the tension, just 50 days before Britain could leave the European Union without measures in place to keep trade flowing freely. Neither spoke, with one reporter shouting to the retreating leaders: "Is this hell, prime minister?" EU summit chair Donald Tusk said on Wednesday that Brexit promoters deserved "a special place in hell" - a blunt display of frustration in Brussels that drew condemnation from many in Britain. The London parliament, which rejected May's agreement by the biggest majority in modern British history, has voted to renegotiate the deal, replacing a provision that some fear could keep British-ruled Northern Ireland under EU rules indefinitely. EU leaders have repeatedly said it would be impossible to replace the provision, known as the "backstop" because it is required to ensure no hard border, once a focus for sectarian violence, between Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland. Unless parliament approves a deal, Britain is on course to leave the EU on March 29 with no transition arrangement in place, a scenario that many businesses say would be catastrophic for the economy. Other options could include delaying Brexit, holding a new referendum or cancelling it altogether. May will return to parliament next week for a debate on the Brexit negotiations when lawmakers could again try to wrest control of the process from her, but a crunch vote on approving the Brexit deal is likely to come later in the month. Both May's Conservative Party and the main opposition Labour Party are formally committed to carrying out Brexit following a 2016 referendum in which voters chose to leave the EU by a margin of 52-48 per cent. But both parties are deeply divided internally over how or even whether to do so. In a letter to May released on Wednesday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn set out five conditions for Labour to support a deal. Those include a "permanent and comprehensive" customs union with the bloc, which May has ruled out. Corbyn also demanded a close alignment with the single market, "unambiguous agreements" on future security arrangements and commitments on UK participation in EU agencies and funding programmes. URGENT WORK Before arriving in Brussels for talks with EU leaders, May acknowledged that her task would not be easy. A government source said a breakthrough on Thursday was not expected. She will tell Juncker, Tusk and the European parliament's Antonio Tajani she wants to work "urgently" with them to secure changes to the deal reached in November. Acknowledging that the agreement "was the product of much hard work and was negotiated in good faith", May will tell the leaders parliament had sent "an unequivocal message that change is required", according to her office. "The government now wants urgently to work with the EU to secure such changes ... We must show determination and do what it takes to now get the deal over the line." Tusk channelled the frustration in Brussels on Wednesday with unusually strong words, saying he wondered what "that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit, without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely." British Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington played down the outburst: "I think Mr Tusk was venting yesterday," he told BBC radio. "I would tell him it wasn't the most brilliant diplomacy in the world," Lidington said. "Anybody who has watched the House of Commons from time to time knows that intemperate and exaggerated language isn't something that only comes out of Brussels." The main stumbling block to winning British parliamentary approval of the deal is the Northern Irish backstop, an insurance policy that requires some EU rules to operate in the British-ruled province unless another means can be agreed in future to guarantee a land border free from inspections. Some lawmakers want May to remove the provision entirely, while others say they will accept a way for London to end it unilaterally, or legally-binding assurances that it would not lead to Britain being trapped in the EU's sphere indefinitely. But the EU, and particularly Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar say they will not re-open the agreement. They argue that the political instability in Britain has only further proved the need for the backstop.

British PM May takes demand for Brexit renegotiation to Brussels

EU summit chairman Donald Tusk said he had abandoned hope that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/delaying-brexit-would-extend-uncertainty-uk-business-minister-195601">Brexit might be stopped</a> and said on Wednesday his priority was now to avert a "fiasco" in 50 days if Britain crashes out without a deal.

Assuring Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar of the solidarity of all other member states as Dublin insists Britain give legal guarantees to avoid disrupting the Northern Ireland border, Tusk told a joint news conference in Brussels that he saw no force capable of blocking a "pro-Brexit" government and opposition.

As British <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-may-seeks-a-border-compromise-in-northern-ireland-195606">Prime Minister Theresa May</a> prepares to meet EU officials in Brussels on Thursday with a mandate from lawmakers to rework the withdrawal treaty she agreed with the Union in November, Tusk and Varadkar both echoed other European leaders in ruling out change to the text, including the Irish "backstop" -- the protocol which parliament roundly rejected last month.

"I hope that tomorrow we will hear from Prime Minister May a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse," Tusk said.

"I strongly believe that a common solution is possible."

Tusk, the European Council president, said, however, that the EU must step up planning for Britain leaving on March 29 without having a legal agreement: "A sense of responsibility also tells us to prepare for a possible fiasco," he said.

"SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL"

In combative mood, he added that those who promoted Brexit without offering a clear plan for how to unravel safely 46 years of membership deserved "a special place in hell".

A former Polish prime minister, Tusk has been a notable EU voice in encouraging Britons to try to reverse the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum but on Wednesday he was notably downbeat.

"I know that still a very great number of people ... wish for a reversal of this decision. I have always been with you, with all my heart. But the facts are unmistakable."

He said the "pro-Brexit stance" of May and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn meant that "today, there is no political force and no effective leadership for remain".

Varadkar, visiting Brussels a day before May as Ireland strives to protect its interests in the bloc as its former colonial ruler and main trading partner quits, said the Brexit deal made last year was "the best deal possible".

Dublin, he insisted, would not give up on an open-ended backstop obliging Britain to retain many EU rules until a better way could be found to keep goods flowing unchecked across the new EU-UK land border across the island of Ireland.

"We expect that the backstop would never be used," Varadkar said. But, he added: "The instability of UK politics in recent weeks demonstrates exactly why we need a legal guarantee."

EU summit chairman Donald Tusk said he had abandoned hope that Brexit might be stopped and said on Wednesday his priority was now to avert a "fiasco" in 50 days if Britain crashes out without a deal.

EU summit chairman Donald Tusk said he had abandoned hope that Brexit might be stopped and said on Wednesday his priority was now to avert a "fiasco" in 50 days if Britain crashes out without a deal. Assuring Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar of the solidarity of all other member states as Dublin insists Britain give legal guarantees to avoid disrupting the Northern Ireland border, Tusk told a joint news conference in Brussels that he saw no force capable of blocking a "pro-Brexit" government and opposition. As British Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to meet EU officials in Brussels on Thursday with a mandate from lawmakers to rework the withdrawal treaty she agreed with the Union in November, Tusk and Varadkar both echoed other European leaders in ruling out change to the text, including the Irish "backstop" -- the protocol which parliament roundly rejected last month. "I hope that tomorrow we will hear from Prime Minister May a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse," Tusk said. "I strongly believe that a common solution is possible." Tusk, the European Council president, said, however, that the EU must step up planning for Britain leaving on March 29 without having a legal agreement: "A sense of responsibility also tells us to prepare for a possible fiasco," he said. "SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL" In combative mood, he added that those who promoted Brexit without offering a clear plan for how to unravel safely 46 years of membership deserved "a special place in hell". A former Polish prime minister, Tusk has been a notable EU voice in encouraging Britons to try to reverse the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum but on Wednesday he was notably downbeat. "I know that still a very great number of people ... wish for a reversal of this decision. I have always been with you, with all my heart. But the facts are unmistakable." He said the "pro-Brexit stance" of May and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn meant that "today, there is no political force and no effective leadership for remain". Varadkar, visiting Brussels a day before May as Ireland strives to protect its interests in the bloc as its former colonial ruler and main trading partner quits, said the Brexit deal made last year was "the best deal possible". Dublin, he insisted, would not give up on an open-ended backstop obliging Britain to retain many EU rules until a better way could be found to keep goods flowing unchecked across the new EU-UK land border across the island of Ireland. "We expect that the backstop would never be used," Varadkar said. But, he added: "The instability of UK politics in recent weeks demonstrates exactly why we need a legal guarantee."

European Union now sees Brexit as unstoppable, aims to avert 'fiasco'

European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday he hoped <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-may-seeks-a-border-compromise-in-northern-ireland-195606">British Prime Minister Theresa May</a> would come to Brussels on Thursday with "realistic suggestions" on how to break the Brexit impasse as the EU would not re-open the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/delaying-brexit-would-extend-uncertainty-uk-business-minister-195601">Brexit deal</a>.

Tusk, speaking at a joint news conference with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar after their talks in Brussels, reiterated the European Union's stance that the Irish border backstop in the withdrawal agreement had to stay.

"I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit, without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said.

Varadkar said the Brexit deal, which has since been rejected by the UK parliament, was "the best possible". He said Britain's recent political instability was yet another proof of why the backstop was needed.

European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday he hoped British Prime Minister Theresa May would come to Brussels on Thursday with "realistic suggestions" on how to break the Brexit impasse as the EU would not re-open the Brexit deal.

European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday he hoped British Prime Minister Theresa May would come to Brussels on Thursday with "realistic suggestions" on how to break the Brexit impasse as the EU would not re-open the Brexit deal. Tusk, speaking at a joint news conference with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar after their talks in Brussels, reiterated the European Union's stance that the Irish border backstop in the withdrawal agreement had to stay. "I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit, without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said. Varadkar said the Brexit deal, which has since been rejected by the UK parliament, was "the best possible". He said Britain's recent political instability was yet another proof of why the backstop was needed.

Will not reopen Brexit deal, hope Theresa May has new proposals: European Union

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-top-court-tells-army-to-stay-out-of-politics-media-195566">Pakistan Supreme Court tells </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-top-court-tells-army-to-stay-out-of-politics-media-195566">army</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-top-court-tells-army-to-stay-out-of-politics-media-195566"> to stay out of politics, media</a>

Pakistan's Supreme Court rebuked the country's powerful military and intelligence agencies Wednesday, calling for them to uphold free speech and stay out of politics in a country ruled by the generals for nearly half its existence.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/robert-vadra-reaches-ed-office-195573">Money-laundering case: Robert Vadra at ED office, is being questioned by </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/robert-vadra-reaches-ed-office-195573">team</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/robert-vadra-reaches-ed-office-195573"> of 7</a>

Robert Vadra arrived at the Delhi offices of the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday to be questioned in connection with a money-laundering case. the case relates to the alleged possession of illegal foreign assets.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/eu-wont-re-open-brexit-deal-hope-may-will-have-new-proposals-donald-tusk-195619">Will not reopen Brexit deal, hope May has new proposals: European Union</a>

European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday he hoped British Prime Minister Theresa May would come to Brussels on Thursday with "realistic suggestions" on how to break the Brexit impasse as the EU would not re-open the Brexit deal.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/with-eight-batsmen-we-should-be-able-to-chase-big-totals-rohit-sharma-195597">India captain Rohit Sharma blames batsmen for 1st T20I loss to New Zealand</a>

India skipper Rohit Sharma Wednesday said that a line-up with eight specialist batsmen should have chased down the 220-run target set by New Zealand, however steep it might have looked for a T20 match.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sabarimala-row-support-supreme-court-verdict-will-lift-ban-on-entry-of-women-says-temple-board-195559">Sabarimala Board tells Supreme Court: Support your verdict, will allow entry of women into temple</a>

In a massive U-turn, the Travancore Dewasom Board, which runs Kerala's Sabarimala temple, told the Supreme Court Wednesday that it now supports the court's September 28, 2018 verdict allowing all women into the shrine.

Pakistan Supreme Court tells army to stay out of politics, media Pakistan's Supreme Court rebuked the country's powerful military and intelligence agencies Wednesday, calling for them to uphold free speech and stay out of politics in a country ruled by the generals for nearly half its existence.

Pakistan Supreme Court tells army to stay out of politics, media Pakistan's Supreme Court rebuked the country's powerful military and intelligence agencies Wednesday, calling for them to uphold free speech and stay out of politics in a country ruled by the generals for nearly half its existence. Money-laundering case: Robert Vadra at ED office, is being questioned by team of 7 Robert Vadra arrived at the Delhi offices of the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday to be questioned in connection with a money-laundering case. the case relates to the alleged possession of illegal foreign assets. Will not reopen Brexit deal, hope May has new proposals: European Union European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday he hoped British Prime Minister Theresa May would come to Brussels on Thursday with "realistic suggestions" on how to break the Brexit impasse as the EU would not re-open the Brexit deal. India captain Rohit Sharma blames batsmen for 1st T20I loss to New Zealand India skipper Rohit Sharma Wednesday said that a line-up with eight specialist batsmen should have chased down the 220-run target set by New Zealand, however steep it might have looked for a T20 match. Sabarimala Board tells Supreme Court: Support your verdict, will allow entry of women into temple In a massive U-turn, the Travancore Dewasom Board, which runs Kerala's Sabarimala temple, told the Supreme Court Wednesday that it now supports the court's September 28, 2018 verdict allowing all women into the shrine.

British Prime Minister Theresa May tried to break the deadlock over <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/delaying-brexit-would-extend-uncertainty-uk-business-minister-195601">Brexit on Wednesday</a> by thrashing out alternative proposals for the Irish border with political parties in Northern Ireland.

The United Kingdom is on course to leave the European Union on March 29 without a deal unless May can convince the bloc to reopen the divorce deal she agreed in November and then sell it to sceptical British lawmakers.

As companies and governments across Europe step up preparations for the turmoil of a no-deal exit, diplomats and officials said the United Kingdom now faces three main options: a no-deal exit, a last-minute deal or a delay to Brexit.

At meetings in Belfast, May tried to tackle the biggest obstacle to getting a deal ratified by the British parliament - an insurance policy covering the possible future arrangements for the border between EU-member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland.

"We will find a way to deliver Brexit that honours our commitments to Northern Ireland," May said on Tuesday.

May said she would seek an alternative arrangement which avoids the need for a hard border or legally binding changes to the border backstop to introduce a time limit or create an exit mechanism.

Brexit has snagged on the 310-mile (500-km) frontier because there is disagreement on how to monitor trade without physical checks on the border, which was marked by military checkpoints before a 1998 peace deal ended three decades of sectarian conflict.

MAY TO BRUSSELS

As a way to prevent a hard border, Brussels and London agreed a so-called backstop - basically a promise that unless the sides come up with a better idea then the United Kingdom would remain bound by EU market and customs rules so that goods would not have to be checked.

But the Northern Irish party which props up May's minority government says it could endanger the province's place in the United Kingdom, while Brexit supporters in May's Conservative Party worry it would lock the country into EU rules for the long term.

British ministers, The Sun newspaper said, have been examining a plan drawn up by Japan's Fujitsu to track trade across the border, while the Telegraph said ministers had discussed delaying Brexit by eight weeks.

May is due to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and then European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels on Thursday.

While the EU has been clear it does not want to reopen the divorce deal, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a creative solution could break the impasse.

But diplomats in Brussels said they had heard no new proposals from London and the risk of a no-deal exit was increasing. EU leaders, diplomats said, were frustrated at May's failure to build a consensus on Brexit.

Delaying Brexit would extend rather than resolve the uncertainty that is hurting the economy, Britain's business minister Greg Clark told a parliament committee on Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May tried to break the deadlock over Brexit on Wednesday by thrashing out alternative proposals for the Irish border with political parties in Northern Ireland.

British Prime Minister Theresa May tried to break the deadlock over Brexit on Wednesday by thrashing out alternative proposals for the Irish border with political parties in Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is on course to leave the European Union on March 29 without a deal unless May can convince the bloc to reopen the divorce deal she agreed in November and then sell it to sceptical British lawmakers. As companies and governments across Europe step up preparations for the turmoil of a no-deal exit, diplomats and officials said the United Kingdom now faces three main options: a no-deal exit, a last-minute deal or a delay to Brexit. At meetings in Belfast, May tried to tackle the biggest obstacle to getting a deal ratified by the British parliament - an insurance policy covering the possible future arrangements for the border between EU-member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. "We will find a way to deliver Brexit that honours our commitments to Northern Ireland," May said on Tuesday. May said she would seek an alternative arrangement which avoids the need for a hard border or legally binding changes to the border backstop to introduce a time limit or create an exit mechanism. Brexit has snagged on the 310-mile (500-km) frontier because there is disagreement on how to monitor trade without physical checks on the border, which was marked by military checkpoints before a 1998 peace deal ended three decades of sectarian conflict. MAY TO BRUSSELS As a way to prevent a hard border, Brussels and London agreed a so-called backstop - basically a promise that unless the sides come up with a better idea then the United Kingdom would remain bound by EU market and customs rules so that goods would not have to be checked. But the Northern Irish party which props up May's minority government says it could endanger the province's place in the United Kingdom, while Brexit supporters in May's Conservative Party worry it would lock the country into EU rules for the long term. British ministers, The Sun newspaper said, have been examining a plan drawn up by Japan's Fujitsu to track trade across the border, while the Telegraph said ministers had discussed delaying Brexit by eight weeks. May is due to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and then European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels on Thursday. While the EU has been clear it does not want to reopen the divorce deal, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a creative solution could break the impasse. But diplomats in Brussels said they had heard no new proposals from London and the risk of a no-deal exit was increasing. EU leaders, diplomats said, were frustrated at May's failure to build a consensus on Brexit. Delaying Brexit would extend rather than resolve the uncertainty that is hurting the economy, Britain's business minister Greg Clark told a parliament committee on Wednesday.

British PM May seeks a border compromise in Northern Ireland

EU president Jean-Claude Juncker will meet Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday, the EU said, as Brussels and London seek ways to save the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-merkel-says-still-time-to-find-brexit-solution-195296">Brexit deal</a>.

Plans for Britain to leave the bloc on March 29 under a withdrawal agreement signed last year were thrown into doubt when British lawmakers rejected the accord.

Brussels is now waiting for May to formally request renewed talks, while warning that the agreement itself can not at this stage be reopened for discussion.

"Our position remains clear, and has been expressed several times," Juncker's spokesman Margaritis Schinas told reporters at his daily briefing Tuesday.

"A series of votes has taken place in the British parliament, upon the basis of which the prime minister will come to explain what comes next," he said.

"We will receive her with pleasure," Schinas said. "While the commission's position is clear, we are waiting to see what the prime minister has to say."

May will visit Juncker at the commission's Berlaymont headquarters a day after Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's talks on Wednesday with EU leaders.

The office of Donald Tusk, who as head of the European Council represents the leaders of EU member states, did not immediately confirm that May would also visit him.

EU president Jean-Claude Juncker will meet Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday, the EU said, as Brussels and London seek ways to save the Brexit deal.

EU president Jean-Claude Juncker will meet Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday, the EU said, as Brussels and London seek ways to save the Brexit deal. Plans for Britain to leave the bloc on March 29 under a withdrawal agreement signed last year were thrown into doubt when British lawmakers rejected the accord. Brussels is now waiting for May to formally request renewed talks, while warning that the agreement itself can not at this stage be reopened for discussion. "Our position remains clear, and has been expressed several times," Juncker's spokesman Margaritis Schinas told reporters at his daily briefing Tuesday. "A series of votes has taken place in the British parliament, upon the basis of which the prime minister will come to explain what comes next," he said. "We will receive her with pleasure," Schinas said. "While the commission's position is clear, we are waiting to see what the prime minister has to say." May will visit Juncker at the commission's Berlaymont headquarters a day after Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's talks on Wednesday with EU leaders. The office of Donald Tusk, who as head of the European Council represents the leaders of EU member states, did not immediately confirm that May would also visit him.

Britain's May to meet EU leaders Thursday on Brexit

Britain on Monday will seek to reassure foreign investors worried about Britain leaving the EU after Japanese automaker Nissan said it was scrapping a major planned investment less than two months before Brexit.

Prime Minister Theresa May was due to hold a conference call with around 55 chairmen and chief executives of European multinationals with operations in Britain.

"She'll be stressing on that call the importance of the UK leaving the EU with a deal," her spokesman said.

Nissan's decision not to build its new X-Trail vehicle at its factory in Sunderland in northeast England was "very disappointing," he said, adding however that the company had confirmed no jobs would be lost as a result.

Business Secretary Greg Clark was also due to make a statement to parliament on Nissan as Brexit supporters and opponents fiercely debated whether the decision was motivated by Britain's impending withdrawal from the EU.

Britain is on course to crash out of the bloc on March 29 after MPs last month voted massively against a divorce deal struck between May and EU leaders in December.

Clark himself told the Financial Times that Nissan told him their decision was "a warning sign" of the damage that a no-deal Brexit could have on Britain's car sector.

'Still, time to reach agreement'

May is now seeking to renegotiate her deal, particularly its contentious "backstop" provision to keep the Irish border free-flowing, in a bid to secure parliament's support.

EU leaders have so far refused, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel repeated this on Monday, saying the Brexit agreement had been painstakingly negotiated and reopening it "is not on the agenda".

But speaking alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, she said: "We want to do everything to avoid a no-deal because that would increase the uncertainty."

Merkel said questions about the backstop could be discussed in the so-called political agreement that accompanies the Brexit deal, adding: "We need to show creativity, we need to listen to each other.

"We can still use the time to come to an agreement over the things that are standing in our way if everyone shows goodwill."

In London, May has invited hardline eurosceptics and Remain supporters within her Conservative Party to come up with possible alternatives to the backstop.

The MPs were set to meet later on Monday and again on Tuesday and Wednesday.&nbsp;

May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that she intends to return to Brussels where she will be "battling for Britain and Northern Ireland" to change the deal.

"If we stand together and speak with one voice, I believe we can find the right way forward," she wrote.

Meanwhile, Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson, Britain's former foreign secretary, warned that rumours of an imminent election could be a government "scare tactic" aimed at getting Conservative MPs to support a Brexit deal.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said that "if Tory MPs were asked to go into electoral battle in the next few months, there would be a hole in the heart of our manifesto".

"I have no idea what we would say about the EU - because after two-and-a-half years of dither the truly astonishing feature of the UK position is that the big questions have still not been answered," he wrote.

Britain on Monday will seek to reassure foreign investors worried about Britain leaving the EU after Japanese automaker Nissan said it was scrapping a major planned investment less than two months before Brexit.

Britain on Monday will seek to reassure foreign investors worried about Britain leaving the EU after Japanese automaker Nissan said it was scrapping a major planned investment less than two months before Brexit. Prime Minister Theresa May was due to hold a conference call with around 55 chairmen and chief executives of European multinationals with operations in Britain. "She'll be stressing on that call the importance of the UK leaving the EU with a deal," her spokesman said. Nissan's decision not to build its new X-Trail vehicle at its factory in Sunderland in northeast England was "very disappointing," he said, adding however that the company had confirmed no jobs would be lost as a result. Business Secretary Greg Clark was also due to make a statement to parliament on Nissan as Brexit supporters and opponents fiercely debated whether the decision was motivated by Britain's impending withdrawal from the EU. Britain is on course to crash out of the bloc on March 29 after MPs last month voted massively against a divorce deal struck between May and EU leaders in December. Clark himself told the Financial Times that Nissan told him their decision was "a warning sign" of the damage that a no-deal Brexit could have on Britain's car sector. 'Still, time to reach agreement' May is now seeking to renegotiate her deal, particularly its contentious "backstop" provision to keep the Irish border free-flowing, in a bid to secure parliament's support. EU leaders have so far refused, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel repeated this on Monday, saying the Brexit agreement had been painstakingly negotiated and reopening it "is not on the agenda". But speaking alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, she said: "We want to do everything to avoid a no-deal because that would increase the uncertainty." Merkel said questions about the backstop could be discussed in the so-called political agreement that accompanies the Brexit deal, adding: "We need to show creativity, we need to listen to each other. "We can still use the time to come to an agreement over the things that are standing in our way if everyone shows goodwill." In London, May has invited hardline eurosceptics and Remain supporters within her Conservative Party to come up with possible alternatives to the backstop. The MPs were set to meet later on Monday and again on Tuesday and Wednesday. May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that she intends to return to Brussels where she will be "battling for Britain and Northern Ireland" to change the deal. "If we stand together and speak with one voice, I believe we can find the right way forward," she wrote. Meanwhile, Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson, Britain's former foreign secretary, warned that rumours of an imminent election could be a government "scare tactic" aimed at getting Conservative MPs to support a Brexit deal. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said that "if Tory MPs were asked to go into electoral battle in the next few months, there would be a hole in the heart of our manifesto". "I have no idea what we would say about the EU - because after two-and-a-half years of dither the truly astonishing feature of the UK position is that the big questions have still not been answered," he wrote.

UK seeks to reassure foreign investors over Brexit

The pound dropped Monday following weak UK construction data and as Prime Minister Theresa May seeks to try and finally unlock the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-trade-minister-says-eu-irresponsible-to-refuse-to-reopen-brexit-deal-194815">Brexit stalemate</a>.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, featuring large multinationals earning in dollars and euros, climbed to a two-month high above 7,000 points thanks to the weaker pound.

Eurozone stock markets faltered, while Asia mostly advanced.

Oil prices hit the highest levels this year as the crisis in OPEC producer Venezuela fuels concerns over potential tighter crude supplies.&nbsp;

"A minor decline for the pound, one that followed a 10- month low UK construction PMI... allowed the FTSE to hit a fresh two-month high," noted Connor Campbell, financial analyst at Spreadex traders.

The IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction purchasing managers' index fell to 50.6 in January from 52.8 the previous month.

"Uncertainty about Brexit has snuffed out the recovery in the construction sector," said Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

"In the unlikely event of a no-deal Brexit, the sector likely will slide into another recession, amid weaker business confidence and tighter credit conditions.&nbsp;

"But provided a deal is signed off, the construction sector likely will enjoy strong growth soon.&nbsp;

"Business investment should rebound later this year, given that firms' profit margins are relatively healthy and their balance sheets are awash with cash," Tombs added.

May on Sunday said she would be "armed with a fresh mandate and new ideas" when she next meets European Union negotiators over her Brexit deal.

EU officials have insisted that the deal -- rejected by British lawmakers -- is not open for renegotiation.

But May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that she would be "battling for Britain and Northern Ireland" in her efforts to get rid of the agreement's unpopular "backstop" provision.

The so-called backstop is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with Ireland, but Brexit supporters fear it will keep Britain tied to the EU's customs rules.

Aside from Brexit, markets continued to feast over strong US jobs data published Friday, helping Asian stock markets to gain in thin trade owing to the three-day Lunar New Year break.

Expectations that the Federal Reserve will take its foot off the gas in raising US interest rates -- and optimism that China and the United States will eventually hammer out a deal to resolve their long-running trade war -- provided support.

The US, the world's biggest economy, added 304,000 new posts in January, almost double what was expected and the strongest reading for almost a year, while growth in pay held steady above inflation.

All three main indices on Wall Street ended with gains Friday, which filtered through to Asia.

The pound dropped Monday following weak UK construction data and as Prime Minister Theresa May seeks to try and finally unlock the Brexit stalemate. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, featuring large multinationals earning in dollars and euros, climbed to a two-month high above 7,000 points thanks to the weaker pound.

The pound dropped Monday following weak UK construction data and as Prime Minister Theresa May seeks to try and finally unlock the Brexit stalemate. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, featuring large multinationals earning in dollars and euros, climbed to a two-month high above 7,000 points thanks to the weaker pound. Eurozone stock markets faltered, while Asia mostly advanced. Oil prices hit the highest levels this year as the crisis in OPEC producer Venezuela fuels concerns over potential tighter crude supplies. "A minor decline for the pound, one that followed a 10- month low UK construction PMI... allowed the FTSE to hit a fresh two-month high," noted Connor Campbell, financial analyst at Spreadex traders. The IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction purchasing managers' index fell to 50.6 in January from 52.8 the previous month. "Uncertainty about Brexit has snuffed out the recovery in the construction sector," said Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. "In the unlikely event of a no-deal Brexit, the sector likely will slide into another recession, amid weaker business confidence and tighter credit conditions. "But provided a deal is signed off, the construction sector likely will enjoy strong growth soon. "Business investment should rebound later this year, given that firms' profit margins are relatively healthy and their balance sheets are awash with cash," Tombs added. May on Sunday said she would be "armed with a fresh mandate and new ideas" when she next meets European Union negotiators over her Brexit deal. EU officials have insisted that the deal -- rejected by British lawmakers -- is not open for renegotiation. But May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that she would be "battling for Britain and Northern Ireland" in her efforts to get rid of the agreement's unpopular "backstop" provision. The so-called backstop is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with Ireland, but Brexit supporters fear it will keep Britain tied to the EU's customs rules. Aside from Brexit, markets continued to feast over strong US jobs data published Friday, helping Asian stock markets to gain in thin trade owing to the three-day Lunar New Year break. Expectations that the Federal Reserve will take its foot off the gas in raising US interest rates -- and optimism that China and the United States will eventually hammer out a deal to resolve their long-running trade war -- provided support. The US, the world's biggest economy, added 304,000 new posts in January, almost double what was expected and the strongest reading for almost a year, while growth in pay held steady above inflation. All three main indices on Wall Street ended with gains Friday, which filtered through to Asia.

Pound falls as PM May plans fresh Brexit assault

British Prime Minister Theresa May said she would seek a "pragmatic solution" to a parliamentary impasse over the terms on which Britain leaves the European Union when she tries to reopen talks with Brussels.&nbsp;

May, writing in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, shed little light on how she intended to solve the issue that has provoked most opposition from her lawmakers, post-Brexit arrangements for the border between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Last month May suffered a record parliament defeat over her Brexit plans, and on Tuesday lawmakers instructed her to return to Brussels to renegotiate arrangements for Northern Ireland.

Lawmakers "would ... be happy with the current backstop if there was a time limit or unilateral exit mechanism," May wrote.

However, Ireland and EU negotiators have rejected any time-limit on the so-called 'backstop' -- a set of fall-back plans that would retain an open UK-Ireland border if Britain and the EU fail to reach a longer-term trade agreement in future talks.

Brexit supporters fear an unlimited backstop would effectively give the EU a veto on future British trade arrangements with other countries, and weaken economic ties between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

May is expected to visit Brussels in the coming days.

"When I return to Brussels I will be battling for Britain and Northern Ireland, I will be armed with a fresh mandate, new ideas and a renewed determination to agree a pragmatic solution that delivers the Brexit the British people voted for," May said.

Separately, May's office rejected a report in the Mail on Sunday newspaper that her advisors were considering an early election on June 6 if she got a Brexit deal through parliament.

Denies June 6 election plan

May's office denied a report in the Mail on Sunday newspaper that the prime minister's advisors were considering scheduling a national election for June 6.

"It's 100 per cent untrue," a Downing Street spokeswoman said about the article, which reported that May's advisors were considering a June 6 election under a scenario in which Brexit was delayed past March 29 but May subsequently won parliament's backing for a withdrawal deal in April.

The article itself quoted an unnamed minister describing the plan as a bid by "second-rate staff desperate to keep their jobs".

May called an unexpected election at short notice in 2017, after which she lost her Conservative Party's small majority and had to rely on support from Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party to continue to govern.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said she would seek a "pragmatic solution" to a parliamentary impasse over the terms on which Britain leaves the European Union when she tries to reopen talks with Brussels.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said she would seek a "pragmatic solution" to a parliamentary impasse over the terms on which Britain leaves the European Union when she tries to reopen talks with Brussels. May, writing in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, shed little light on how she intended to solve the issue that has provoked most opposition from her lawmakers, post-Brexit arrangements for the border between the United Kingdom and Ireland. Last month May suffered a record parliament defeat over her Brexit plans, and on Tuesday lawmakers instructed her to return to Brussels to renegotiate arrangements for Northern Ireland. Lawmakers "would ... be happy with the current backstop if there was a time limit or unilateral exit mechanism," May wrote. However, Ireland and EU negotiators have rejected any time-limit on the so-called 'backstop' -- a set of fall-back plans that would retain an open UK-Ireland border if Britain and the EU fail to reach a longer-term trade agreement in future talks. Brexit supporters fear an unlimited backstop would effectively give the EU a veto on future British trade arrangements with other countries, and weaken economic ties between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. May is expected to visit Brussels in the coming days. "When I return to Brussels I will be battling for Britain and Northern Ireland, I will be armed with a fresh mandate, new ideas and a renewed determination to agree a pragmatic solution that delivers the Brexit the British people voted for," May said. Separately, May's office rejected a report in the Mail on Sunday newspaper that her advisors were considering an early election on June 6 if she got a Brexit deal through parliament. Denies June 6 election plan May's office denied a report in the Mail on Sunday newspaper that the prime minister's advisors were considering scheduling a national election for June 6. "It's 100 per cent untrue," a Downing Street spokeswoman said about the article, which reported that May's advisors were considering a June 6 election under a scenario in which Brexit was delayed past March 29 but May subsequently won parliament's backing for a withdrawal deal in April. The article itself quoted an unnamed minister describing the plan as a bid by "second-rate staff desperate to keep their jobs". May called an unexpected election at short notice in 2017, after which she lost her Conservative Party's small majority and had to rely on support from Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party to continue to govern.

British PM May says she will seek 'pragmatic' Brexit solution in Brussels

British officials have revived Cold War emergency plans to relocate the royal family should there be riots in London if Britain suffers a disruptive departure from the European Union next month, two Sunday newspapers reported.

"These emergency evacuation plans have been in existence since the Cold War, but have now been repurposed in the event of civil disorder following a no-deal Brexit," the Sunday Times said, quoting an unnamed source from the government's Cabinet Office, which handles sensitive administrative issues.

The Mail on Sunday also said it had learnt of plans to move the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth, to safe locations away from London.

Britain's government is struggling to get parliamentary support for a Brexit transition agreement with the EU before the departure date of March 29, and the government and businesses are preparing contingency plans for a 'no-deal' Brexit.

Business groups have warned of widespread disruption if there are lengthy delays to EU imports due to new customs checks, and even possible shortages of food and medicine.

Last month an annual speech by the 92-year-old queen to a local women's group was widely interpreted in Britain as a call for politicians to reach an agreement over Brexit.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Conservative lawmaker and keen supporter of Brexit, told the Mail on Sunday he believed the plans showed unnecessary panic by officials over a no-deal Brexit, as senior royals had remained in London during World War Two bombing.

But the Sunday Times said an ex-police officer formerly in charge of royal protection, Dai Davies, expected Queen Elizabeth would be moved out of London if there was unrest.

"If there were problems in London, clearly you would remove the royal family away from those key sites," Davies was quoted as saying.

British officials have revived Cold War emergency plans to relocate the royal family should there be riots in London if Britain suffers a disruptive departure from the European Union next month, two Sunday newspapers reported.

British officials have revived Cold War emergency plans to relocate the royal family should there be riots in London if Britain suffers a disruptive departure from the European Union next month, two Sunday newspapers reported. "These emergency evacuation plans have been in existence since the Cold War, but have now been repurposed in the event of civil disorder following a no-deal Brexit," the Sunday Times said, quoting an unnamed source from the government's Cabinet Office, which handles sensitive administrative issues. The Mail on Sunday also said it had learnt of plans to move the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth, to safe locations away from London. Britain's government is struggling to get parliamentary support for a Brexit transition agreement with the EU before the departure date of March 29, and the government and businesses are preparing contingency plans for a 'no-deal' Brexit. Business groups have warned of widespread disruption if there are lengthy delays to EU imports due to new customs checks, and even possible shortages of food and medicine. Last month an annual speech by the 92-year-old queen to a local women's group was widely interpreted in Britain as a call for politicians to reach an agreement over Brexit. Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Conservative lawmaker and keen supporter of Brexit, told the Mail on Sunday he believed the plans showed unnecessary panic by officials over a no-deal Brexit, as senior royals had remained in London during World War Two bombing. But the Sunday Times said an ex-police officer formerly in charge of royal protection, Dai Davies, expected Queen Elizabeth would be moved out of London if there was unrest. "If there were problems in London, clearly you would remove the royal family away from those key sites," Davies was quoted as saying.

Queen Elizabeth to be evacuated in case of Brexit unrest: Report

It would be irresponsible for the European Union to refuse to reopen negotiations over <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/queen-elizabeth-to-be-evacuated-in-case-of-brexit-unrest-report-194679">Britain's exit deal</a>, British trade minister Liam Fox said in an interview aired on Sunday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-theresa-may-says-she-will-seek-pragmatic-brexit-solution-in-brussels-194688">British Prime Minister Theresa May</a> has said she is seeking changes to the Withdrawal Agreement she agreed with Brussels last year in order to win the support of parliament. The EU has said the deal cannot be renegotiated.

"Are they really saying that they would rather not negotiate and end up in a 'no-deal' position?" Fox told Sky News in a pre-recorded interview. "It is in all our interests to get to that agreement and for the EU to say we are not going to even discuss it seems to me to be quite irresponsible."

With less than two months until Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, the opposition Labour Party has said it is now inevitable that the government will have to request an extension to the Article 50 exit negotiation period.

Fox, who has previously spoken out strongly against delaying the exit date, said extending the negotiations without a deal in place would not solve anything, but it was "a very different argument" if Britain just needed more time to get the necessary legislation in place for a smooth exit.

He is the second senior minister to suggest such a delay may be needed, after Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday Britain may need time to get legislation through.

"There is a big difference between if we had an agreement and we need some time to get the legalities done, that is one thing," Fox said. "I think to extend simply because we hadn’t reached an agreement would not provide any impetus for that agreement to be reached."

Fox said Britain would "be able to deal" with leaving the bloc without an agreement but it would not be in the country's interests.

It would be irresponsible for the European Union to refuse to reopen negotiations over Britain's exit deal, British trade minister Liam Fox said in an interview aired on Sunday.

It would be irresponsible for the European Union to refuse to reopen negotiations over Britain's exit deal, British trade minister Liam Fox said in an interview aired on Sunday. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is seeking changes to the Withdrawal Agreement she agreed with Brussels last year in order to win the support of parliament. The EU has said the deal cannot be renegotiated. "Are they really saying that they would rather not negotiate and end up in a 'no-deal' position?" Fox told Sky News in a pre-recorded interview. "It is in all our interests to get to that agreement and for the EU to say we are not going to even discuss it seems to me to be quite irresponsible." With less than two months until Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, the opposition Labour Party has said it is now inevitable that the government will have to request an extension to the Article 50 exit negotiation period. Fox, who has previously spoken out strongly against delaying the exit date, said extending the negotiations without a deal in place would not solve anything, but it was "a very different argument" if Britain just needed more time to get the necessary legislation in place for a smooth exit. He is the second senior minister to suggest such a delay may be needed, after Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday Britain may need time to get legislation through. "There is a big difference between if we had an agreement and we need some time to get the legalities done, that is one thing," Fox said. "I think to extend simply because we hadn’t reached an agreement would not provide any impetus for that agreement to be reached." Fox said Britain would "be able to deal" with leaving the bloc without an agreement but it would not be in the country's interests.

UK trade minister says EU 'irresponsible' to refuse to reopen Brexit deal

British Prime Minister Theresa May was closer than ever Tuesday to finally reaching an elusive Brexit deal.

By 317 votes to 301, MPs in the House of Commons gave their backing to May's deal which they rejected earlier this month, providing changes are made to the so-called Irish backstop border issue.

The 16 majority for her deal gives May a mandate to return to Brussels to call for a re-opening of negotiations, and indicates that the Brexit deal is likely to win the critical final vote in British parliament if changes are made to the Irish border issue.

Veteran MP Sir Graham Brady has been hailed as the hero of the night by including a crucial addition to May's rejected deal. It says the deal requires the Northern Ireland backstop to be replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border.

The words were enough to win over the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) as well as Conservative politicians strongly against a backstop over fears it could tie Britain permanently to the EU.

May said the British government can look forward to obtaining legally binding changes to the withdrawal agreement with regards to the backstop, allowing no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

May and her senior advisers are not waving victory flags at the moment, with the developments in London receiving a frosty reaction in Brussels and Dublin.

The Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said in a statement issued later in Dublin, "The withdrawal agreement is not open for re-negotiation."

Referring to the withdrawal agreement agreed between EU leaders and May, Varadkar said it is a carefully negotiated compromise, which balances the U.K. position on customs and the single market with avoiding a hard border and protecting the integrity of the EU customs union and single market. He said Ireland will continue its preparations for all outcomes, including for a no-deal scenario.

A spokesman for Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said that the backstop is part of the withdrawal agreement and the withdrawal agreement is not open for re-negotiation.

The Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn who, earlier in the evening, lost a vote that would have avoided a no-deal outcome, said he was now prepared to meet May to discuss Brexit.

May plans to discuss developments with the EU ahead of returning at a later date to the British Parliament for a meaningful date needed on a deal with Brussels.

Until now Brussels has insisted that a backstop must be part of the Brexit deal to avoid a hard border between EU member state Ireland, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K.

Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29.

British Prime Minister Theresa May was closer than ever Tuesday to finally reaching an elusive Brexit deal. By 317 votes to 301, MPs in the House of Commons gave their backing to May's deal which they rejected earlier this month, providing changes are made to the so-called Irish backstop border issue.

British Prime Minister Theresa May was closer than ever Tuesday to finally reaching an elusive Brexit deal. By 317 votes to 301, MPs in the House of Commons gave their backing to May's deal which they rejected earlier this month, providing changes are made to the so-called Irish backstop border issue. The 16 majority for her deal gives May a mandate to return to Brussels to call for a re-opening of negotiations, and indicates that the Brexit deal is likely to win the critical final vote in British parliament if changes are made to the Irish border issue. Veteran MP Sir Graham Brady has been hailed as the hero of the night by including a crucial addition to May's rejected deal. It says the deal requires the Northern Ireland backstop to be replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border. The words were enough to win over the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) as well as Conservative politicians strongly against a backstop over fears it could tie Britain permanently to the EU. May said the British government can look forward to obtaining legally binding changes to the withdrawal agreement with regards to the backstop, allowing no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. May and her senior advisers are not waving victory flags at the moment, with the developments in London receiving a frosty reaction in Brussels and Dublin. The Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said in a statement issued later in Dublin, "The withdrawal agreement is not open for re-negotiation." Referring to the withdrawal agreement agreed between EU leaders and May, Varadkar said it is a carefully negotiated compromise, which balances the U.K. position on customs and the single market with avoiding a hard border and protecting the integrity of the EU customs union and single market. He said Ireland will continue its preparations for all outcomes, including for a no-deal scenario. A spokesman for Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said that the backstop is part of the withdrawal agreement and the withdrawal agreement is not open for re-negotiation. The Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn who, earlier in the evening, lost a vote that would have avoided a no-deal outcome, said he was now prepared to meet May to discuss Brexit. May plans to discuss developments with the EU ahead of returning at a later date to the British Parliament for a meaningful date needed on a deal with Brussels. Until now Brussels has insisted that a backstop must be part of the Brexit deal to avoid a hard border between EU member state Ireland, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29.

Theresa May's Brexit deal finally wins majority support in parliament

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-i-dont-want-to-leave-eu-without-a-deal-pm-theresa-may-to-lawmakers-193765">British Prime Minister Theresa May</a> won parliament's backing on Tuesday to renegotiate her Brexit deal — a major policy reversal that sets up a new standoff with the EU after it ruled out any change.

May's dramatic decision to abandon a pact she herself sealed with the 27 EU leaders at a summit last month came with Britain on course to crash out of the bloc after 46 years in a blaze of political and economic chaos on March 29.

The pound quickly fell on fears of a no-deal scenario as MPs voted through an amendment saying they would only support a divorce deal if its controversial "backstop" clause to keep the Irish border open was removed.

A spokesman for EU leader Donald Tusk said the deal was "not open for renegotiation" while French President Emmanuel Macron said it was the "best agreement possible".

MPs also voted in favour of a non-binding measure that "rejects the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a Withdrawal Agreement".

But they failed to vote through a more important plan — backed by European supporters — that would have tried to force through a Brexit delay if no new deal with the EU emerged by February 26.

May now faces a formidable challenge convincing Brussels to re-open talks that took 18 excruciating months to conclude.

She said parliament's approval of the backstop amendment gave her the "mandate" to "seek to obtain legally binding changes to the withdrawal agreement".

But she conceded that there was "limited appetite" in the EU for renegotiation.

"It won't be easy," said May. "But in contrast to a fortnight ago, this house has made it clear what it needs to approve the withdrawal agreement."

'Alternative arrangement' 
Parliament on January 15 voted against the draft deal by a crushing margin.

That significantly raised the risk that Britain's departure without a plan on March 29 will create trade and economic disruptions on both sides of the Channel.

Brexit hardliners from May's Conservative party think the backstop -- created to keep the border open with Ireland -- could see Britain indefinitely tied to EU trade rules.

The winning amendment calls for the backstop to be replaced with "alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border" -- vague wording that did not pin May to any specific approach.

- Playing for time? - 
Yet analysts struggled to see how May could convince her EU counterparts to agree to any changes.

"The only strategy I can see behind all this is the prime minister uses this to finally prove to all but her most recalcitrant backbenchers that the backstop cannot be renegotiated," King's College London professor Anand Menon said.

"She is going to have to come back definitely and say this deal isn't on offer," Menon said.

University College London professor Morten Ravn agreed that May appeared to be playing for time.

"May won support for an amendment that she probably expects she cannot deliver on in the hope that parliament will support her deal last minute in order to avoid no-deal Brexit," Ravn told AFP.

May promised to give MPs a chance to vote on what happens next on February 14 should she fail to win a new agreement over the course of the next two weeks.

'Nothing changes' 
May already tried and failed to wrest new concessions from Brussels during a difficult summit last month that exposed her weak negotiating position -- and the European Union's resolve.

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier's deputy Sabine Weyand on Monday remarked that the current political debate in Britain felt "like Groundhog Day".

She said Britain risked crashing out of the EU without a deal "by accident" because London cannot decide what it wants.

Following Tuesday's votes, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said the he hoped the backstop would "never be used" or replaced quickly by a new trade agreement.

"But it is necessary and tonight's developments at Westminster do nothing to change this," Coveney tweeted.

British Prime Minister Theresa May won parliament's backing on Tuesday to renegotiate her Brexit deal — a major policy reversal that sets up a new standoff with the EU after it ruled out any change.

British Prime Minister Theresa May won parliament's backing on Tuesday to renegotiate her Brexit deal — a major policy reversal that sets up a new standoff with the EU after it ruled out any change. May's dramatic decision to abandon a pact she herself sealed with the 27 EU leaders at a summit last month came with Britain on course to crash out of the bloc after 46 years in a blaze of political and economic chaos on March 29. The pound quickly fell on fears of a no-deal scenario as MPs voted through an amendment saying they would only support a divorce deal if its controversial "backstop" clause to keep the Irish border open was removed. A spokesman for EU leader Donald Tusk said the deal was "not open for renegotiation" while French President Emmanuel Macron said it was the "best agreement possible". MPs also voted in favour of a non-binding measure that "rejects the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a Withdrawal Agreement". But they failed to vote through a more important plan — backed by European supporters — that would have tried to force through a Brexit delay if no new deal with the EU emerged by February 26. May now faces a formidable challenge convincing Brussels to re-open talks that took 18 excruciating months to conclude. She said parliament's approval of the backstop amendment gave her the "mandate" to "seek to obtain legally binding changes to the withdrawal agreement". But she conceded that there was "limited appetite" in the EU for renegotiation. "It won't be easy," said May. "But in contrast to a fortnight ago, this house has made it clear what it needs to approve the withdrawal agreement." 'Alternative arrangement' Parliament on January 15 voted against the draft deal by a crushing margin. That significantly raised the risk that Britain's departure without a plan on March 29 will create trade and economic disruptions on both sides of the Channel. Brexit hardliners from May's Conservative party think the backstop -- created to keep the border open with Ireland -- could see Britain indefinitely tied to EU trade rules. The winning amendment calls for the backstop to be replaced with "alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border" -- vague wording that did not pin May to any specific approach. - Playing for time? - Yet analysts struggled to see how May could convince her EU counterparts to agree to any changes. "The only strategy I can see behind all this is the prime minister uses this to finally prove to all but her most recalcitrant backbenchers that the backstop cannot be renegotiated," King's College London professor Anand Menon said. "She is going to have to come back definitely and say this deal isn't on offer," Menon said. University College London professor Morten Ravn agreed that May appeared to be playing for time. "May won support for an amendment that she probably expects she cannot deliver on in the hope that parliament will support her deal last minute in order to avoid no-deal Brexit," Ravn told AFP. May promised to give MPs a chance to vote on what happens next on February 14 should she fail to win a new agreement over the course of the next two weeks. 'Nothing changes' May already tried and failed to wrest new concessions from Brussels during a difficult summit last month that exposed her weak negotiating position -- and the European Union's resolve. EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier's deputy Sabine Weyand on Monday remarked that the current political debate in Britain felt "like Groundhog Day". She said Britain risked crashing out of the EU without a deal "by accident" because London cannot decide what it wants. Following Tuesday's votes, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said the he hoped the backstop would "never be used" or replaced quickly by a new trade agreement. "But it is necessary and tonight's developments at Westminster do nothing to change this," Coveney tweeted.

UK MPs vote to renegotiate Brexit, EU says it's not happening

British lawmakers will vote on Tuesday on whether to try to take control of the Brexit process in a series of crunch votes that threaten to pile more pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May.

With the Brexit deadline only 60 days away, MPs will vote on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/theres-no-brexit-plan-b-this-is-still-plan-may-191929">May's "Plan B"</a>, which she presented to parliament last week after her initial deal was comprehensively rejected on January 15.

They will also vote on amendments that will indicate whether lawmakers have the numbers to instigate a legally-binding parliamentary takeover of the process.

One amendment would open the door for the Remain-dominated House of Commons to bring in legislation preventing Britain leaving the European Union without an official deal on March 29.

It would force May to delay Brexit for nine months if her deal is not approved before February 26, and give lawmakers the ability to indefinitely extend the deadline.

Increasing numbers of government ministers have warned they will not accept the prospect of Britain leaving without a deal, which would immediately sever all ties with its largest trading partner.

Conservative leader May is seeking to salvage her agreement, and hopes to win over MPs in another future ballot, despite losing the last by 230 votes.

The government said that this second "meaningful vote" would also be amendable, possibly convincing some MPs not to take any drastic action on Tuesday, knowing they will have another chance.

Internal divisions 
Parliamentary experts also warned that MPs' efforts may be unconstitutional.

"The Commons... cannot legally compel the government to negotiate an arrangement to which it is opposed," King's College London professor Vernon Bogdanor wrote in The Times, adding their plans would constitutionally require a change in government.

Amid the bitter wrangling Queen Elizabeth II appeared to make a rare foray into politics last week, emphasising in a speech the need for Britons to come together to "seek out the common ground".

May's plan B hinges almost entirely on convincing the EU to reexamine the existing deal's so-called backstop proposal, which could see Britain tied to the bloc's trade rules to keep open the border with Ireland.

An amendment potentially up for a vote on Tuesday would call for her to go back to Brussels and secure changes to the backstop.

May reportedly told Tory MPs at a Monday meeting the government will support the measure and would order them to follow suit.

But an ardently pro-Brexit group of Conservative lawmakers led by backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg said they would not back the move because it does not force the reopening of the withdrawal agreement.

No deal 'by accident' 
If passed, the amendment could put pressure on Brussels to reopen the deal by offering a clear path through the current impasse.

But the EU has consistently said there will be no major changes to the deal and on Monday accused Britain of risking a no-deal Brexit "by accident".

In some of her toughest remarks to date Sabine Weyand, deputy to EU negotiator Michel Barnier, criticised May's handling of divorce talks, arguing she had kept colleagues too in the dark during the 18 months of gruelling negotiations.

Meanwhile MPs in favour of another referendum pulled their amendment after it crucially failed to win the support of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, although the idea will remain on the backburner if Brexit is delayed.&nbsp;

Not all amendments will be put to a vote, with Commons Speaker John Bercow to make the selection on Tuesday morning, with votes cast from 7:00 pm (1900 GMT).

The speaker sparked outrage when he ignored convention and the advice of his clerks to approve the initial move forcing May to reveal her revised plan, which also gave MPs a motion on which to tag their amendments.

Leave supporting MPs have accused the speaker, who publicly declared that he voted for Remain, of using his position, which is traditionally impartial, to try to scupper Brexit, and will be keeping a close eye on his actions on Tuesday.

May's office has said it was considering extending House of Commons hours and cancelling MPs' week-long February holiday to make time to pass all the laws needed to prepare for Brexit.

British lawmakers will vote on Tuesday on whether to try to take control of the Brexit process in a series of crunch votes that threaten to pile more pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May.

British lawmakers will vote on Tuesday on whether to try to take control of the Brexit process in a series of crunch votes that threaten to pile more pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May. With the Brexit deadline only 60 days away, MPs will vote on May's "Plan B", which she presented to parliament last week after her initial deal was comprehensively rejected on January 15. They will also vote on amendments that will indicate whether lawmakers have the numbers to instigate a legally-binding parliamentary takeover of the process. One amendment would open the door for the Remain-dominated House of Commons to bring in legislation preventing Britain leaving the European Union without an official deal on March 29. It would force May to delay Brexit for nine months if her deal is not approved before February 26, and give lawmakers the ability to indefinitely extend the deadline. Increasing numbers of government ministers have warned they will not accept the prospect of Britain leaving without a deal, which would immediately sever all ties with its largest trading partner. Conservative leader May is seeking to salvage her agreement, and hopes to win over MPs in another future ballot, despite losing the last by 230 votes. The government said that this second "meaningful vote" would also be amendable, possibly convincing some MPs not to take any drastic action on Tuesday, knowing they will have another chance. Internal divisions Parliamentary experts also warned that MPs' efforts may be unconstitutional. "The Commons... cannot legally compel the government to negotiate an arrangement to which it is opposed," King's College London professor Vernon Bogdanor wrote in The Times, adding their plans would constitutionally require a change in government. Amid the bitter wrangling Queen Elizabeth II appeared to make a rare foray into politics last week, emphasising in a speech the need for Britons to come together to "seek out the common ground". May's plan B hinges almost entirely on convincing the EU to reexamine the existing deal's so-called backstop proposal, which could see Britain tied to the bloc's trade rules to keep open the border with Ireland. An amendment potentially up for a vote on Tuesday would call for her to go back to Brussels and secure changes to the backstop. May reportedly told Tory MPs at a Monday meeting the government will support the measure and would order them to follow suit. But an ardently pro-Brexit group of Conservative lawmakers led by backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg said they would not back the move because it does not force the reopening of the withdrawal agreement. No deal 'by accident' If passed, the amendment could put pressure on Brussels to reopen the deal by offering a clear path through the current impasse. But the EU has consistently said there will be no major changes to the deal and on Monday accused Britain of risking a no-deal Brexit "by accident". In some of her toughest remarks to date Sabine Weyand, deputy to EU negotiator Michel Barnier, criticised May's handling of divorce talks, arguing she had kept colleagues too in the dark during the 18 months of gruelling negotiations. Meanwhile MPs in favour of another referendum pulled their amendment after it crucially failed to win the support of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, although the idea will remain on the backburner if Brexit is delayed. Not all amendments will be put to a vote, with Commons Speaker John Bercow to make the selection on Tuesday morning, with votes cast from 7:00 pm (1900 GMT). The speaker sparked outrage when he ignored convention and the advice of his clerks to approve the initial move forcing May to reveal her revised plan, which also gave MPs a motion on which to tag their amendments. Leave supporting MPs have accused the speaker, who publicly declared that he voted for Remain, of using his position, which is traditionally impartial, to try to scupper Brexit, and will be keeping a close eye on his actions on Tuesday. May's office has said it was considering extending House of Commons hours and cancelling MPs' week-long February holiday to make time to pass all the laws needed to prepare for Brexit.

British MPs to vote today on taking control of Brexit from government

British Prime Minister Theresa May will seek to renegotiate the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/eu-has-a-brexit-message-for-pm-may-irish-backstop-is-our-red-line-193501">EU divorce deal</a>, her spokesman said Tuesday, ahead of crunch <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-mps-to-vote-today-on-taking-control-of-brexit-from-government-193557">votes in parliament</a> that could reset the course for Brexit.

With exactly two months to go until Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29, May is going to attempt to change the agreement she herself negotiated -- even though Brussels has insisted it will not re-open it.

"We have to have a deal which can carry the support of parliament and that's going to require some changes to the withdrawal agreement," May's spokesman said, as Downing Street tried to seize the initiative back from MPs.

The draft divorce deal was overwhelmingly rejected by lawmakers on January 15 and deeply divided MPs have been coming up with their own ideas to take a different path.

After May opens a day of debate, MPs are set to vote from 1900 GMT on measures that could include preventing a no-deal Brexit, delaying Brexit, changing the negotiated deal and even seizing control of the entire process.

May's spokesman said she backed a proposed measure that called for the removal of a controversial Irish border "backstop" arrangement written into the divorce deal.

Brexit hardliners from May's Conservative Party are set against the deal due to the backstop, which could see Britain indefinitely tied to EU trade rules in order to keep open the border with the Republic of Ireland.

The proposed measure put forward for Tuesday's votes calls for the backstop to be replaced with "alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border" on the island of Ireland.

The amendment would make clear that the Commons wishes to leave the EU with a deal, confirms the commitment to avoiding border checks and "gives us scope for a new discussion with the EU about how best we achieve that", said May's spokesman.

She told her cabinet that "to win the support of the House of Commons, legal changes to the backstop will be required", he said.

'Groundhog Day'

Confidence in London about being able to change the agreement is met with disbelief in Brussels.

Sabine Weyand, deputy to EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, said: "There's no negotiation between the EU and the UK. That negotiation is finished.

"It does feel like Groundhog Day."

She said Britain risked crashing out of the EU without a deal "by accident" because London cannot decide what it wants.

A source in French President Emmanuel Macron's office said Tuesday: "The withdrawal agreement and the backstop are not renegotiable."

And Ireland's Europe minister Helen McEntee called for "realism" from London as "there can be no change to the backstop".

No-deal risk&nbsp;

Tuesday's votes are the latest twist in the turmoil that the Brexit vote has unleashed in one of the world's top economies.

Increasing numbers of government ministers have warned they will not accept the prospect of Britain leaving without a deal on March 29, immediately severing all ties with its largest trading partner and threatening economic chaos.

British stocks jumped Tuesday and the pound was firmer ahead of the votes.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index was 1.3 per cent higher in midday deals, while the pound held recently won ground versus the dollar.

One of the amendments which could be voted on Tuesday would open the door for the House of Commons to bring in legislation preventing Britain leaving the EU without a deal by forcing May to delay Brexit for nine months if her deal is not approved before February 26.

It would also give MPs the ability to extend the deadline indefinitely.

The main opposition Labour Party is throwing its weight behind the amendment.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will seek to renegotiate the EU divorce deal, her spokesman said Tuesday, ahead of crunch votes in parliament that could reset the course for Brexit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will seek to renegotiate the EU divorce deal, her spokesman said Tuesday, ahead of crunch votes in parliament that could reset the course for Brexit. With exactly two months to go until Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29, May is going to attempt to change the agreement she herself negotiated -- even though Brussels has insisted it will not re-open it. "We have to have a deal which can carry the support of parliament and that's going to require some changes to the withdrawal agreement," May's spokesman said, as Downing Street tried to seize the initiative back from MPs. The draft divorce deal was overwhelmingly rejected by lawmakers on January 15 and deeply divided MPs have been coming up with their own ideas to take a different path. After May opens a day of debate, MPs are set to vote from 1900 GMT on measures that could include preventing a no-deal Brexit, delaying Brexit, changing the negotiated deal and even seizing control of the entire process. May's spokesman said she backed a proposed measure that called for the removal of a controversial Irish border "backstop" arrangement written into the divorce deal. Brexit hardliners from May's Conservative Party are set against the deal due to the backstop, which could see Britain indefinitely tied to EU trade rules in order to keep open the border with the Republic of Ireland. The proposed measure put forward for Tuesday's votes calls for the backstop to be replaced with "alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border" on the island of Ireland. The amendment would make clear that the Commons wishes to leave the EU with a deal, confirms the commitment to avoiding border checks and "gives us scope for a new discussion with the EU about how best we achieve that", said May's spokesman. She told her cabinet that "to win the support of the House of Commons, legal changes to the backstop will be required", he said. 'Groundhog Day' Confidence in London about being able to change the agreement is met with disbelief in Brussels. Sabine Weyand, deputy to EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, said: "There's no negotiation between the EU and the UK. That negotiation is finished. "It does feel like Groundhog Day." She said Britain risked crashing out of the EU without a deal "by accident" because London cannot decide what it wants. A source in French President Emmanuel Macron's office said Tuesday: "The withdrawal agreement and the backstop are not renegotiable." And Ireland's Europe minister Helen McEntee called for "realism" from London as "there can be no change to the backstop". No-deal risk Tuesday's votes are the latest twist in the turmoil that the Brexit vote has unleashed in one of the world's top economies. Increasing numbers of government ministers have warned they will not accept the prospect of Britain leaving without a deal on March 29, immediately severing all ties with its largest trading partner and threatening economic chaos. British stocks jumped Tuesday and the pound was firmer ahead of the votes. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index was 1.3 per cent higher in midday deals, while the pound held recently won ground versus the dollar. One of the amendments which could be voted on Tuesday would open the door for the House of Commons to bring in legislation preventing Britain leaving the EU without a deal by forcing May to delay Brexit for nine months if her deal is not approved before February 26. It would also give MPs the ability to extend the deadline indefinitely. The main opposition Labour Party is throwing its weight behind the amendment.

UK PM May seeks to reopen Brexit deal

The European Union has a message for British <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-govt-may-scrap-mps-holiday-to-pass-brexit-laws-193184">Prime Minister Theresa Ma</a>y&nbsp;as she plots a path out of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/with-two-months-to-brexit-cracks-form-on-irish-border-193080">Brexit impasse</a>: a backup plan for the Irish border can be tweaked but will have to be included in any divorce deal.

With less than nine weeks until the United Kingdom is due by law to leave the European Union on March 29, there is no agreement yet in London on how and even whether to leave the world's biggest trading bloc.

Parliament defeated May's deal two weeks ago by a huge margin with many Brexit-supporting rebels in her Conservative Party angry at the Irish backstop, an insurance policy aimed at preventing a hard border in Ireland if no other solutions can be agreed.

Ahead of Tuesday's votes in the British parliament on a way forward, lawmakers in May's party are pushing for her to demand the European Union drop the backstop and replace it with something else.

Ireland said the backstop was staying and the European Commission repeated on Monday that the withdrawal agreement text, and its backstop component, is not open for renegotiation.

"The European Parliament will not ratify a withdrawal agreement that doesn't have a backstop in it, it's as simple as that," Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney told the BBC.

As the Brexit crisis goes down to the line, however, EU officials indicated there might be wriggle room if May came back with a clear, and viable, request for changes that she - and the EU - believe will secure a final ratification.

The backstop is a type of insurance policy aimed at preventing a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland if no other solutions can be agreed. It is the most contentious part of May's deal.

IRELAND

The question for May is whether the EU can offer enough to get a variant of her defeated deal through the British parliament.

Possible amendments floated by EU officials range from further public assurances that the backstop would probably never be used or only for a brief period to amending the text which accompanies the treaty and which lays out expectations for the trading relationship that will come in after the transition.

The EU has explicitly said if Britain were to stay in a customs union indefinitely, as the opposition Labour Party favours, that could leave the backstop redundant.

One key element is maintaining a united front with the Irish government, which insists it needs the backstop without a time limit to ensure there is no physical frontier, which could become a target of the violence that has been reduced as a result of the two-decade-old Good Friday Agreement peace deal.

EU and Irish leaders insist that Dublin is under no pressure to relent.

However, a looming no-deal Brexit, in which the EU insists Ireland cannot leave an open door to British goods, has highlighted the difficulty Ireland will face if the backstop issue scuppers an agreement.

EU leaders are open to giving May more time beyond March 29 if she can convince them she will use the time to secure the elusive orderly outcome, whether leaving or staying.

"SHOW US YOUR MAJORITY"

Brussels and the national governments are keeping their options open, however, determined not to give in to British demands that they believe would undermine their single market but also anxious to use every possibility to avoid chaos.

But they are reluctant to offer May more concessions that then fail to satisfy British lawmakers.

"Theresa May must show us a majority for something concrete. Come back and be specific about what she needs to get the deal passed," one EU source told Reuters.

"All eyes are on the House of Commons, what amendments pass and what can be built on their basis, maybe around the middle of February," said another.

May is trying to use a series of votes in parliament on Tuesday to find a consensus that lawmakers in her own party could support, just two weeks since her deal suffered the biggest parliamentary defeat in modern British history.

The British parliament on Tuesday will vote on proposals put forward by lawmakers including a delay to Brexit and going back to the EU to demand changes to the Northern Irish backstop.

In essence, May is forcing lawmakers to show their cards on what sort of Brexit, if any, they want. Lawmakers in her own party want her to demand a last-minute change to the deal to remove the backstop.

The European Union has a message for British Prime Minister Theresa May as she plots a path out of the Brexit impasse: a backup plan for the Irish border can be tweaked but will have to be included in any divorce deal.

The European Union has a message for British Prime Minister Theresa May as she plots a path out of the Brexit impasse: a backup plan for the Irish border can be tweaked but will have to be included in any divorce deal. With less than nine weeks until the United Kingdom is due by law to leave the European Union on March 29, there is no agreement yet in London on how and even whether to leave the world's biggest trading bloc. Parliament defeated May's deal two weeks ago by a huge margin with many Brexit-supporting rebels in her Conservative Party angry at the Irish backstop, an insurance policy aimed at preventing a hard border in Ireland if no other solutions can be agreed. Ahead of Tuesday's votes in the British parliament on a way forward, lawmakers in May's party are pushing for her to demand the European Union drop the backstop and replace it with something else. Ireland said the backstop was staying and the European Commission repeated on Monday that the withdrawal agreement text, and its backstop component, is not open for renegotiation. "The European Parliament will not ratify a withdrawal agreement that doesn't have a backstop in it, it's as simple as that," Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney told the BBC. As the Brexit crisis goes down to the line, however, EU officials indicated there might be wriggle room if May came back with a clear, and viable, request for changes that she - and the EU - believe will secure a final ratification. The backstop is a type of insurance policy aimed at preventing a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland if no other solutions can be agreed. It is the most contentious part of May's deal. IRELAND The question for May is whether the EU can offer enough to get a variant of her defeated deal through the British parliament. Possible amendments floated by EU officials range from further public assurances that the backstop would probably never be used or only for a brief period to amending the text which accompanies the treaty and which lays out expectations for the trading relationship that will come in after the transition. The EU has explicitly said if Britain were to stay in a customs union indefinitely, as the opposition Labour Party favours, that could leave the backstop redundant. One key element is maintaining a united front with the Irish government, which insists it needs the backstop without a time limit to ensure there is no physical frontier, which could become a target of the violence that has been reduced as a result of the two-decade-old Good Friday Agreement peace deal. EU and Irish leaders insist that Dublin is under no pressure to relent. However, a looming no-deal Brexit, in which the EU insists Ireland cannot leave an open door to British goods, has highlighted the difficulty Ireland will face if the backstop issue scuppers an agreement. EU leaders are open to giving May more time beyond March 29 if she can convince them she will use the time to secure the elusive orderly outcome, whether leaving or staying. "SHOW US YOUR MAJORITY" Brussels and the national governments are keeping their options open, however, determined not to give in to British demands that they believe would undermine their single market but also anxious to use every possibility to avoid chaos. But they are reluctant to offer May more concessions that then fail to satisfy British lawmakers. "Theresa May must show us a majority for something concrete. Come back and be specific about what she needs to get the deal passed," one EU source told Reuters. "All eyes are on the House of Commons, what amendments pass and what can be built on their basis, maybe around the middle of February," said another. May is trying to use a series of votes in parliament on Tuesday to find a consensus that lawmakers in her own party could support, just two weeks since her deal suffered the biggest parliamentary defeat in modern British history. The British parliament on Tuesday will vote on proposals put forward by lawmakers including a delay to Brexit and going back to the EU to demand changes to the Northern Irish backstop. In essence, May is forcing lawmakers to show their cards on what sort of Brexit, if any, they want. Lawmakers in her own party want her to demand a last-minute change to the deal to remove the backstop.

EU will not ratify Brexit withdrawal without backstop: Ireland deputy PM Coveney

Ever since the Brexit vote, Ireland has had the rest of the European Union behind it in insisting there can be no hard border with Northern Ireland when Britain leaves.

But with a draft UK-EU deal that would guarantee an open border looking increasingly frail, and the growing risk that Britain could withdraw from the union with no agreement at all, cracks are starting to emerge.

Over months of talks, both Dublin and Brussels have been loath to spell out the implications of having to carry out EU customs and regulations checks on what would become the bloc's new frontier.

A comment from the European Commission's chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas earlier this week shattered the taboo.

"In a no-deal scenario in Ireland, I think it's pretty obvious, you will have a hard border," he said.

The remark caught Dublin off-guard and the government pointed to EU promises to keep the border open.

The Irish Independent branded Schinas's comments a "Brexit backstab", suggesting they were intended "to prepare Dublin for some difficult discussions in the weeks ahead".

Schinas softened his remark the following day, saying the EU would do "all it can" to avoid a hard border.

But Ireland, which considers itself an unwilling bystander to Britain's decision to leave the EU after 46 years, is feeling under pressure to compromise over its demands.

"Why is it the country being victimised that's always being asked to give?" Prime Minister Leo Varadkar asked in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Friday.

Cooling comments

Varadkar has come under some domestic criticism for failing to prepare for the possibility of a hard border.

But Federico Fabbrini, director of Dublin City University's Brexit Institute, said the government's position was "reasonable".

"It doesn't want to take action on the border for as long as reimposing a border is avoidable," he said.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier sought to de-dramatise the concerns, but only raised more questions.

"We will have to find an operational way of carrying out checks and controls without putting back in place a border," he said.

The EU-UK deal includes a "backstop" plan to keep the border open by keeping Britain tied to EU trade rules, but Brexit supporters in London hate it.

They seized on Barnier's comments, saying they proved the backstop was not needed to prevent a hard border.

The backstop is a major block in getting the Brexit deal agreed by the British parliament, and London is pressing the EU to modify the plan.

After months of seeming like the consistent and mature voice in Brexit negotiations, Ireland now risks appearing the stubborn obstacle to a smooth Brexit.

'A period of chaos'

Varadkar this week also warned that a no-deal would lead to a "period of chaos" and that ultimately the EU, Britain and Ireland would have to "agree on full alignment" between Northern Ireland and the Republic to avoid a hard border.

What that chaos might look like and how the EU-brokered accord would function on the 310-mile (500-kilometre) border traversed by more than 200 roads is hard to say.

Brexiteers in London say checks on the border could simply be replaced by trusted trader schemes and as-yet-untested technology.

Speaking in Davos on Friday, Varadkar said it could "involve people in uniform" -- as well as "cameras, physical infrastructure, possibly a police presence, or an army presence to back it up".

That would be a concerning development on a border where the last military checkpoints were dismantled 20 years ago after a peace accord ended three decades of conflict.

Given Ireland's refusal to prepare for a hard border, there could also be days or even weeks when the frontier is effectively ungoverned by international law.

"You could have hundreds of lorries parking up at the border awaiting some kind of clearance," said Seamus Leheny, policy manager of the Freight Transport Association in Northern Ireland.

"We could be left in a situation where some hauliers will have to take the decision to turn away any freight going across the border. The concern they have is they technically could be seen as smuggling."

Ever since the Brexit vote, Ireland has had the rest of the European Union behind it in insisting there can be no hard border with Northern Ireland when Britain leaves.

Ever since the Brexit vote, Ireland has had the rest of the European Union behind it in insisting there can be no hard border with Northern Ireland when Britain leaves. But with a draft UK-EU deal that would guarantee an open border looking increasingly frail, and the growing risk that Britain could withdraw from the union with no agreement at all, cracks are starting to emerge. Over months of talks, both Dublin and Brussels have been loath to spell out the implications of having to carry out EU customs and regulations checks on what would become the bloc's new frontier. A comment from the European Commission's chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas earlier this week shattered the taboo. "In a no-deal scenario in Ireland, I think it's pretty obvious, you will have a hard border," he said. The remark caught Dublin off-guard and the government pointed to EU promises to keep the border open. The Irish Independent branded Schinas's comments a "Brexit backstab", suggesting they were intended "to prepare Dublin for some difficult discussions in the weeks ahead". Schinas softened his remark the following day, saying the EU would do "all it can" to avoid a hard border. But Ireland, which considers itself an unwilling bystander to Britain's decision to leave the EU after 46 years, is feeling under pressure to compromise over its demands. "Why is it the country being victimised that's always being asked to give?" Prime Minister Leo Varadkar asked in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Friday. Cooling comments Varadkar has come under some domestic criticism for failing to prepare for the possibility of a hard border. But Federico Fabbrini, director of Dublin City University's Brexit Institute, said the government's position was "reasonable". "It doesn't want to take action on the border for as long as reimposing a border is avoidable," he said. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier sought to de-dramatise the concerns, but only raised more questions. "We will have to find an operational way of carrying out checks and controls without putting back in place a border," he said. The EU-UK deal includes a "backstop" plan to keep the border open by keeping Britain tied to EU trade rules, but Brexit supporters in London hate it. They seized on Barnier's comments, saying they proved the backstop was not needed to prevent a hard border. The backstop is a major block in getting the Brexit deal agreed by the British parliament, and London is pressing the EU to modify the plan. After months of seeming like the consistent and mature voice in Brexit negotiations, Ireland now risks appearing the stubborn obstacle to a smooth Brexit. 'A period of chaos' Varadkar this week also warned that a no-deal would lead to a "period of chaos" and that ultimately the EU, Britain and Ireland would have to "agree on full alignment" between Northern Ireland and the Republic to avoid a hard border. What that chaos might look like and how the EU-brokered accord would function on the 310-mile (500-kilometre) border traversed by more than 200 roads is hard to say. Brexiteers in London say checks on the border could simply be replaced by trusted trader schemes and as-yet-untested technology. Speaking in Davos on Friday, Varadkar said it could "involve people in uniform" -- as well as "cameras, physical infrastructure, possibly a police presence, or an army presence to back it up". That would be a concerning development on a border where the last military checkpoints were dismantled 20 years ago after a peace accord ended three decades of conflict. Given Ireland's refusal to prepare for a hard border, there could also be days or even weeks when the frontier is effectively ungoverned by international law. "You could have hundreds of lorries parking up at the border awaiting some kind of clearance," said Seamus Leheny, policy manager of the Freight Transport Association in Northern Ireland. "We could be left in a situation where some hauliers will have to take the decision to turn away any freight going across the border. The concern they have is they technically could be seen as smuggling."

With two months to Brexit, cracks form on Irish border

British MPs could sit long hours and their February holiday may be scrapped as the government races to pass its Brexit legislation before Britain leaves the EU on March 29, Downing Street said Sunday.

Prime Minister Theresa May's government is looking at making the House of Commons sit on more Fridays — which it does not normally do — and extend debating time well into the evening on some days.

It is also "reviewing" the week-long February recess, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

There are still eight laws the government wants to pass to prepare the statute books for Brexit, covering areas of trade, fisheries, and agriculture, immigration, the environment, and healthcare.

These include any bill needed to implement a divorce deal with the EU, which MPs have yet to agree to.

"We remain committed to ensuring all necessary legislation is in place for exit day on March 29, 2019, and it is important to stress we are confident of meeting that commitment," the spokeswoman said.

"We are aware this is a challenging timetable, so as a precautionary measure we are in preliminary discussions about extending sitting times -- but only if necessary."

She said MPs would have a chance to debate and vote on any decision, adding that the government recognised the need to balance their constituency and family responsibilities.

Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, suggested this week that Brexit could be delayed if necessary by a few weeks to get the bills through.

"I'm absolutely certain that if we needed a couple of extra weeks or something, that that would be feasible," she told the BBC's "Newsnight" programme.

But she added that "with goodwill and a determination, we can still get the legislation through in time".

Meanwhile, officials are looking at whether they might need sweeping powers, including the introduction of martial law, if there is disorder after Brexit, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

There has been a discussion about using the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which allows curfews, travel bans and the deployment of the army to quell any social unrest if Britain leaves the EU with no deal.

A separate Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The prime minister has said that there will be the disruption in the event of no deal."

"But as a responsible government, we are taking the appropriate steps to minimise this disruption and ensure the country is prepared."

British MPs could sit long hours and their February holiday may be scrapped as the government races to pass its Brexit legislation before Britain leaves the EU on March 29, Downing Street said Sunday.

British MPs could sit long hours and their February holiday may be scrapped as the government races to pass its Brexit legislation before Britain leaves the EU on March 29, Downing Street said Sunday. Prime Minister Theresa May's government is looking at making the House of Commons sit on more Fridays — which it does not normally do — and extend debating time well into the evening on some days. It is also "reviewing" the week-long February recess, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. There are still eight laws the government wants to pass to prepare the statute books for Brexit, covering areas of trade, fisheries, and agriculture, immigration, the environment, and healthcare. These include any bill needed to implement a divorce deal with the EU, which MPs have yet to agree to. "We remain committed to ensuring all necessary legislation is in place for exit day on March 29, 2019, and it is important to stress we are confident of meeting that commitment," the spokeswoman said. "We are aware this is a challenging timetable, so as a precautionary measure we are in preliminary discussions about extending sitting times -- but only if necessary." She said MPs would have a chance to debate and vote on any decision, adding that the government recognised the need to balance their constituency and family responsibilities. Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, suggested this week that Brexit could be delayed if necessary by a few weeks to get the bills through. "I'm absolutely certain that if we needed a couple of extra weeks or something, that that would be feasible," she told the BBC's "Newsnight" programme. But she added that "with goodwill and a determination, we can still get the legislation through in time". Meanwhile, officials are looking at whether they might need sweeping powers, including the introduction of martial law, if there is disorder after Brexit, the Sunday Times newspaper reported. There has been a discussion about using the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which allows curfews, travel bans and the deployment of the army to quell any social unrest if Britain leaves the EU with no deal. A separate Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The prime minister has said that there will be the disruption in the event of no deal." "But as a responsible government, we are taking the appropriate steps to minimise this disruption and ensure the country is prepared."

UK government may scrap MPs' holiday to pass Brexit laws

By Agelos Delis, &nbsp;Karen Jackson and Oleksandr Shepotylo 
 
The current impasse in the British parliament has increased the probability of ending up with one of two extreme outcomes: no Brexit or no deal. While significant attention has focused on understanding the potential impact of a hard Brexit on the income of people in the UK, much less is known about the impact on the rest of the EU.

We know that the UK has a large trade deficit with some big and influential EU economies such as Germany. Therefore, some have argued that this will result in these countries influencing the EU negotiating a position and eventually offering a relatively generous deal to the UK. But our calculations find the opposite to be true.

Building on recent research by two of us into different Brexit scenarios, we looked at how a no-deal Brexit might affect the rest of the EU. We also assessed what would happen if the EU broke up entirely and all countries were left to trade on WTO-only rules. The magnitude of this gives us a sense of how important it is for the EU to stand firm in negotiations against the UK.

Our research uses a gravity model, which is widely used in the international trade literature. Many economists consider it to be the best tool for conducting applied trade policy. In essence, it is based on the idea that two countries trade in proportion to the size of their economies and trade less the further away they are to one another because this is more costly. As well as being firmly rooted in economic theory, it captures many features of the real world without being overcomplicated and predicts trade flows remarkably well.

Effect on the EU27

Our new results indicate that all EU27 countries will lose out from a disorderly Brexit, but that losses are not distributed evenly between the rest of the EU countries. Roughly speaking, there are three groups of countries.

The country that loses the most in terms of GDP, around 1 per cent, is Ireland. This is expected given its geographic proximity, common language and historical ties with the UK. The second largest decline in GDP from a no-deal Brexit is observed for Cyprus, at around 0.2 per cent of its GDP. This result is surprising to some extent given the distance of Cyprus from the UK. But it could be explained by common institutions (Cyprus was a colony of the UK until 1960) as well as the close historical and business ties between the two islands.

After Ireland and Cyprus, the vast majority of EU countries will face a decline of their GDP from 0.18 per cent (Spain) to just below 0.1 per cent (Croatia). And the last group of EU countries, from Central and Eastern Europe, will have among the lowest decline in GDP. Hungary with 0.08 per cent and Austria with 0.03 per cent of GDP.

It is interesting to note that the four biggest EU27 countries will face a small drop in their GDP in the case of a No Deal Brexit scenario. Germany faces a 0.16 per cent drop; France, 0.17 per cent; Italy, 0.14 per cent, and Spain, 0.18 per cent. Hence, the overall effect on the EU27 will be a fairly small decline in their combined GDP – a weighted average of 0.17 per cent. In comparison, we find that a no-deal Brexit will reduce the UK’s GDP by a staggering 5.8 per cent of GDP.

These results can easily be understood when we consider the fact that each individual EU country trades much more with the rest of the EU as a whole than just the UK. Consequently, each remaining EU country will have much more to lose in the event of the UK getting a deal that includes the benefits of EU membership without any of the costs, as this would undermine the future existence of the EU.

If the EU breaks down

To further understand the potential impact of a collapse of the EU project, we present evidence on what will be the effect for each individual EU country. Here, the assumption is that the EU breaks down and all EU countries begin trading under WTO rules.

In such a scenario, the GDP of the EU countries would fall by 4.7 per cent on average, with Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands experiencing the highest declines of 5.5 per cent, 5.4 per cent and 5.3 per cent of their GDP respectively. The rest of the countries face similar economic losses from 5.2 per cent of GDP for Austria to just below 4 per cent for Greece. The lowest loss in terms of GDP is for Cyprus with a 3.2 per cent decline. Note that in this scenario, the UK’s GDP will be reduced by 4.5 per cent.

From the above analysis, it is apparent that EU countries have much more to lose from the disintegration of the EU than Brexit. Following the gravity model, this is because countries tend to lose more in terms of international trade, and consequently their GDP, when their deep economic ties are cut with their bigger neighbours.

Hence, it is no surprise that the EU27 has shown a consistent and unified stance towards resisting the UK’s demands during the Brexit process. On this basis, there is little evidence to support the idea that EU negotiators will be forthcoming with a last minute, significantly more favourable Brexit package.

(Agelos Delis is Lecturer in Economics, Aston University; Karen Jackson Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Westminster; Oleksandr Shepotylo Lecturer in Economics, Aston University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-no-deal-brexit-would-be-less-costly-for-the-eu-than-the-uk-110407">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Agelos Delis, Karen Jackson and Oleksandr Shepotylo The current impasse in the British parliament has increased the probability of ending up with one of two extreme outcomes: no Brexit or no deal.

By Agelos Delis, Karen Jackson and Oleksandr Shepotylo The current impasse in the British parliament has increased the probability of ending up with one of two extreme outcomes: no Brexit or no deal. While significant attention has focused on understanding the potential impact of a hard Brexit on the income of people in the UK, much less is known about the impact on the rest of the EU. We know that the UK has a large trade deficit with some big and influential EU economies such as Germany. Therefore, some have argued that this will result in these countries influencing the EU negotiating a position and eventually offering a relatively generous deal to the UK. But our calculations find the opposite to be true. Building on recent research by two of us into different Brexit scenarios, we looked at how a no-deal Brexit might affect the rest of the EU. We also assessed what would happen if the EU broke up entirely and all countries were left to trade on WTO-only rules. The magnitude of this gives us a sense of how important it is for the EU to stand firm in negotiations against the UK. Our research uses a gravity model, which is widely used in the international trade literature. Many economists consider it to be the best tool for conducting applied trade policy. In essence, it is based on the idea that two countries trade in proportion to the size of their economies and trade less the further away they are to one another because this is more costly. As well as being firmly rooted in economic theory, it captures many features of the real world without being overcomplicated and predicts trade flows remarkably well. Effect on the EU27 Our new results indicate that all EU27 countries will lose out from a disorderly Brexit, but that losses are not distributed evenly between the rest of the EU countries. Roughly speaking, there are three groups of countries. The country that loses the most in terms of GDP, around 1 per cent, is Ireland. This is expected given its geographic proximity, common language and historical ties with the UK. The second largest decline in GDP from a no-deal Brexit is observed for Cyprus, at around 0.2 per cent of its GDP. This result is surprising to some extent given the distance of Cyprus from the UK. But it could be explained by common institutions (Cyprus was a colony of the UK until 1960) as well as the close historical and business ties between the two islands. After Ireland and Cyprus, the vast majority of EU countries will face a decline of their GDP from 0.18 per cent (Spain) to just below 0.1 per cent (Croatia). And the last group of EU countries, from Central and Eastern Europe, will have among the lowest decline in GDP. Hungary with 0.08 per cent and Austria with 0.03 per cent of GDP. It is interesting to note that the four biggest EU27 countries will face a small drop in their GDP in the case of a No Deal Brexit scenario. Germany faces a 0.16 per cent drop; France, 0.17 per cent; Italy, 0.14 per cent, and Spain, 0.18 per cent. Hence, the overall effect on the EU27 will be a fairly small decline in their combined GDP – a weighted average of 0.17 per cent. In comparison, we find that a no-deal Brexit will reduce the UK’s GDP by a staggering 5.8 per cent of GDP. These results can easily be understood when we consider the fact that each individual EU country trades much more with the rest of the EU as a whole than just the UK. Consequently, each remaining EU country will have much more to lose in the event of the UK getting a deal that includes the benefits of EU membership without any of the costs, as this would undermine the future existence of the EU. If the EU breaks down To further understand the potential impact of a collapse of the EU project, we present evidence on what will be the effect for each individual EU country. Here, the assumption is that the EU breaks down and all EU countries begin trading under WTO rules. In such a scenario, the GDP of the EU countries would fall by 4.7 per cent on average, with Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands experiencing the highest declines of 5.5 per cent, 5.4 per cent and 5.3 per cent of their GDP respectively. The rest of the countries face similar economic losses from 5.2 per cent of GDP for Austria to just below 4 per cent for Greece. The lowest loss in terms of GDP is for Cyprus with a 3.2 per cent decline. Note that in this scenario, the UK’s GDP will be reduced by 4.5 per cent. From the above analysis, it is apparent that EU countries have much more to lose from the disintegration of the EU than Brexit. Following the gravity model, this is because countries tend to lose more in terms of international trade, and consequently their GDP, when their deep economic ties are cut with their bigger neighbours. Hence, it is no surprise that the EU27 has shown a consistent and unified stance towards resisting the UK’s demands during the Brexit process. On this basis, there is little evidence to support the idea that EU negotiators will be forthcoming with a last minute, significantly more favourable Brexit package. (Agelos Delis is Lecturer in Economics, Aston University; Karen Jackson Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Westminster; Oleksandr Shepotylo Lecturer in Economics, Aston University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why a no-deal Brexit would be less costly for the EU than the UK

By Kenneth Armstrong

In her statement to the House of Commons, the UK prime minister has failed to offer any real clarity on where her government’s Brexit policy is heading. Rather than unveiling a Plan B, she set out Plan May with some procedural bells and whistles.

Number 10 followed her statement by saying there will not be another meaningful vote on Brexit until February.

Significantly, the prime minister has refused to take a no-deal Brexit off the agenda. Following parliament’s decisive vote not to approve the texts of the withdrawal agreement and political declaration negotiated between the UK and the EU back in November, a no-deal Brexit is now the default position unless something else changes.

Three things could change. First, with the March 29 deadline looming without a Brexit deal, parliament could decide to shift the goalposts by requiring the government to seek an extension of the Article 50 negotiation period. This procedural device was originally proposed in a private member’s bill promoted by Conservative MP Nick Boles, but it is likely to be superseded by an alternative proposal from Labour MP Yvette Cooper in which a refusal by parliament to approve the texts agreed between the UK and the EU would lead to a request to extend the negotiation period.

In terms of Article 50, the UK can make such a request, but it still needs the unanimous consent of the EU27. Assuming that consent was given, it would simply delay a no-deal Brexit. Something would have to happen during this extension to change the parliamentary arithmetic to produce a majority to back a deal. The most obvious way of doing that would be if a general election was held, forcing the political parties to lay out their visions of the UK’s future relationship with the EU. Former Conservative leader William Hague has been talking up the possibility of an early election. The risk, however, would be that a divided nation produced a hung parliament with no better consensus on what is in the national interest.

A different possibility would be to make revocation of the Article 50 withdrawal notification the new default. This wouldn’t just take a no-deal Brexit off the table. Any failure by parliament to approve a deal would mean that parliament instructed the government to bring the withdrawal process to an end. Following a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union in December, this is a real alternative. The problem is that this goes further than changing the default on Brexit; it reverses Brexit itself. It is hard to see how this could occur without another referendum. And, as the prime minister made clear in her statement, she believes that no majority exists in the House of Commons for another referendum.

But even if a referendum were to take place following parliament’s failure to approve a deal, the referendum would be a straight choice between remaining in the EU and a no-deal Brexit. So even in this scenario, a no-deal Brexit could still occur.

The third option is to focus on substance. Here the prime minister identified the Irish backstop, the future relationship, and protecting social, environmental and citizens rights as areas where the action might need to be taken. Leaving aside the issues of rights where the UK is in a position to take unilateral action, any “Plan B” would need to address the Irish Protocol contained in the withdrawal agreement and the future relationship set out in the political declaration. Changes to the Irish backstop means opening up a legal text which the EU has said it will not do. Almost all the negotiation time in 2018 was spent trying to resolve this issue.

But even in terms of the hard numbers, flipping the votes of the DUP and Brexiteers who objected to the backstop is unlikely to give the prime minister the majority she would need. She would still need a wider coalition to either accept the deal or at least abstain rather than voting against it. That’s why attention still needs to be paid to the future relationship.

What the prime minister has offered, however, is simply to involve parliament and voices outside of parliament more closely in shaping the UK’s position on the future relationship with the EU, with the important caveat that it is “government’s responsibility to negotiate” with the EU. In short, while parliament and the devolved administrations may expect to be better engaged, the government does not intend to hand control of Brexit over to MPs. It still appears to be Plan May.

(Kenneth Armstrong is Professor, Centre for European Legal Studies, University of Cambridge)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-no-brexit-plan-b-this-is-still-plan-may-110140">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Kenneth Armstrong In her statement to the House of Commons, the UK prime minister has failed to offer any real clarity on where her government’s Brexit policy is heading.

By Kenneth Armstrong In her statement to the House of Commons, the UK prime minister has failed to offer any real clarity on where her government’s Brexit policy is heading. Rather than unveiling a Plan B, she set out Plan May with some procedural bells and whistles. Number 10 followed her statement by saying there will not be another meaningful vote on Brexit until February. Significantly, the prime minister has refused to take a no-deal Brexit off the agenda. Following parliament’s decisive vote not to approve the texts of the withdrawal agreement and political declaration negotiated between the UK and the EU back in November, a no-deal Brexit is now the default position unless something else changes. Three things could change. First, with the March 29 deadline looming without a Brexit deal, parliament could decide to shift the goalposts by requiring the government to seek an extension of the Article 50 negotiation period. This procedural device was originally proposed in a private member’s bill promoted by Conservative MP Nick Boles, but it is likely to be superseded by an alternative proposal from Labour MP Yvette Cooper in which a refusal by parliament to approve the texts agreed between the UK and the EU would lead to a request to extend the negotiation period. In terms of Article 50, the UK can make such a request, but it still needs the unanimous consent of the EU27. Assuming that consent was given, it would simply delay a no-deal Brexit. Something would have to happen during this extension to change the parliamentary arithmetic to produce a majority to back a deal. The most obvious way of doing that would be if a general election was held, forcing the political parties to lay out their visions of the UK’s future relationship with the EU. Former Conservative leader William Hague has been talking up the possibility of an early election. The risk, however, would be that a divided nation produced a hung parliament with no better consensus on what is in the national interest. A different possibility would be to make revocation of the Article 50 withdrawal notification the new default. This wouldn’t just take a no-deal Brexit off the table. Any failure by parliament to approve a deal would mean that parliament instructed the government to bring the withdrawal process to an end. Following a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union in December, this is a real alternative. The problem is that this goes further than changing the default on Brexit; it reverses Brexit itself. It is hard to see how this could occur without another referendum. And, as the prime minister made clear in her statement, she believes that no majority exists in the House of Commons for another referendum. But even if a referendum were to take place following parliament’s failure to approve a deal, the referendum would be a straight choice between remaining in the EU and a no-deal Brexit. So even in this scenario, a no-deal Brexit could still occur. The third option is to focus on substance. Here the prime minister identified the Irish backstop, the future relationship, and protecting social, environmental and citizens rights as areas where the action might need to be taken. Leaving aside the issues of rights where the UK is in a position to take unilateral action, any “Plan B” would need to address the Irish Protocol contained in the withdrawal agreement and the future relationship set out in the political declaration. Changes to the Irish backstop means opening up a legal text which the EU has said it will not do. Almost all the negotiation time in 2018 was spent trying to resolve this issue. But even in terms of the hard numbers, flipping the votes of the DUP and Brexiteers who objected to the backstop is unlikely to give the prime minister the majority she would need. She would still need a wider coalition to either accept the deal or at least abstain rather than voting against it. That’s why attention still needs to be paid to the future relationship. What the prime minister has offered, however, is simply to involve parliament and voices outside of parliament more closely in shaping the UK’s position on the future relationship with the EU, with the important caveat that it is “government’s responsibility to negotiate” with the EU. In short, while parliament and the devolved administrations may expect to be better engaged, the government does not intend to hand control of Brexit over to MPs. It still appears to be Plan May. (Kenneth Armstrong is Professor, Centre for European Legal Studies, University of Cambridge) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

There’s no Brexit Plan B – this is still Plan May

Britain's opposition Labour Party is seeking to force <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-theresa-may-presents-brexit-plan-b-seeks-to-engage-civil-society-trade-unions-191861">Prime Minister Theresa May</a> to rule out leaving the European Union without a deal and to give parliament a vote on the options to break a deadlock over the way forward.

May's deal was roundly rejected by parliament last week and on Monday she set out a proposal to overcome the impasse by seeking further concessions from the EU on a plan to prevent customs checks on the Irish border.

Lawmakers will debate and vote on the next steps on January 29, and ahead of that, they can put forward amendments to the government's plan, seeking to shape Britain's exit from the bloc.

Labour's amendment seeks to force the government to give parliament time to consider and vote on options to prevent Britain leaving on March 29 without an agreement. Among those options should be a permanent customs union with the EU and a second referendum on Brexit, the party said.

"The prime minister is both refusing to change her red lines or take the threat of a no deal exit off the table. MPs (members of parliament) must now act to break the deadlock," Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said in a statement.

"Our amendment will allow MPs to vote on options to end this Brexit deadlock and prevent the chaos of a no deal."

Britain's opposition Labour Party is seeking to force Prime Minister Theresa May to rule out leaving the European Union without a deal and to give parliament a vote on the options to break a deadlock over the way forward.

Britain's opposition Labour Party is seeking to force Prime Minister Theresa May to rule out leaving the European Union without a deal and to give parliament a vote on the options to break a deadlock over the way forward. May's deal was roundly rejected by parliament last week and on Monday she set out a proposal to overcome the impasse by seeking further concessions from the EU on a plan to prevent customs checks on the Irish border. Lawmakers will debate and vote on the next steps on January 29, and ahead of that, they can put forward amendments to the government's plan, seeking to shape Britain's exit from the bloc. Labour's amendment seeks to force the government to give parliament time to consider and vote on options to prevent Britain leaving on March 29 without an agreement. Among those options should be a permanent customs union with the EU and a second referendum on Brexit, the party said. "The prime minister is both refusing to change her red lines or take the threat of a no deal exit off the table. MPs (members of parliament) must now act to break the deadlock," Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said in a statement. "Our amendment will allow MPs to vote on options to end this Brexit deadlock and prevent the chaos of a no deal."

UK's Labour seeks to force Theresa May to rule out no-deal Brexit

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