webfact Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 'Time of the essence,' says May on latest Brussels shuttle By Alastair Macdonald and Gabriela Baczynska European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 20, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May held "constructive" talks in Brussels on Wednesday as she sought concessions on Brexit from a sceptical European Union, her strategy under strain after the defection of three lawmakers. Emerging from an hour or so of discussions with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the second in as many weeks, May told a British television channel that she again pressed for "legally binding changes" to a deal she agreed with the EU in November so that a "backstop" policy on the Irish border would not bind Britain indefinitely to keeping EU rules. It is this part of the treaty, intended to avoid new trouble in Northern Ireland, which the British parliament rejected last month. That pitched the country toward the exit on March 29 without a safety net -- and left May scrambling to secure concessions both in Brussels and from lawmakers in her own party and others. "I’ve underlined the need for us to see legally binding changes to the backstop which ensure it cannot be indefinite," May said. "That’s what is required if a deal is going to pass the House of Commons ... Time is of the essence." She said there had been progress and her Brexit minister would be back in Brussels on Thursday, along with the attorney general Geoffrey Cox. It is he whom the EU must find a way to persuade to change his view that the backstop might never end. People close to the negotiations say discussions have been focusing on what May and Juncker in a joint statement called "appropriate legal assurance to both sides". The EU has refused to reopen the treaty or to add new text that would anger Ireland by putting a time limit on the backstop or giving London a unilateral right to quit an arrangement that would see Britain obliged to follow EU trade and industry rules until a better way is found, probably using technology, to keep the border open while letting the UK diverge from EU standards. Various kinds of text, focusing on how a future trading relationship may work after a status quo transition period, have been discussed, officials say. But EU leaders, many of whom will meet May during a weekend summit with Arab governments in Egypt, want assurances she can deliver parliamentary ratification for any new deal before they will nail down their concessions. BREXIT DELAYED? That kind of brinkmanship could, many officials say, lead to a delay in Brexit as the only option for May to avoid running out of time to pass the necessary laws in the next month. EU summit chair Donald Tusk said on Wednesday: "If Britain fails to prepare some sensible option on time, then there is always a possibility to extend these negotiations in time. This would be better than a divorce without agreement." May's ability to get any deal through parliament suffered a new blow earlier in the day when three of her Conservative lawmakers quit, condemning her "disastrous handling of Brexit", which they, like she, had opposed during the 2016 referendum. Despite some support for a new vote, EU leaders no longer hold out hope of Brexit being halted and, with governments and the Commission saying they are ready if need be for a no-deal departure, many diplomats fear political deadlock in London has made such an outcome as likely as May securing ratification. In their joint statement, May and Juncker said talks were "constructive" and their teams would press on to "explore the options in a positive spirit". The two plan to meet again before the end of February, when May faces a new test in parliament. She has less than a month to crack the puzzle, EU diplomats say, arguing that a compromise must be in place a week or so before a summit on March 21-22 that could seal any accord. "They have until March 10, maybe March 15 at the latest," one said. "Otherwise they will be forced into a delay of Brexit, or crash out." Despite that, few in Brussels expect a quick breakthrough: "It's too early," another EU diplomat said. "The second half of March is the make-or-break moment." (Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Alistair Smout in London; Editing by Gareth Jones, Frances Kerry, William Maclean) -- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexRich Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Juncker's got a plaster on his face. Let's hope Theresa gave him a good kicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somtamnication Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 No worries, Mrs. May. Waiting for March 29. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soalbundy Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 2 hours ago, Somtamnication said: No worries, Mrs. May. Waiting for March 29. when nothing will happen, the theater will continue to roll on and on and on, it's what comes of not preparing and looking at all the consequences, I would have thought that the NI border would have been flashing red from the beginning as it is the only land border between the UK and the EU and the political sensitivity of this border should have been obvious, even to May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proboscis Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 3 hours ago, AlexRich said: Juncker's got a plaster on his face. Let's hope Theresa gave him a good kicking. And then what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouse Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 4 hours ago, webfact said: ... Time is of the essence." Ha! <deleted> Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexRich Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 2 hours ago, Proboscis said: And then what? I’m beginning not to care, to be honest. As much as I hate Brexit and the destructive impact it has, there’s part of me that wants to see the consequences of this folly ... and the break up of the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil B Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 So any progress??? Be back, same issues, same answers, same time next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srikcir Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 8 hours ago, webfact said: "That’s what is required if a deal is going to pass the House of Commons ... Time is of the essence." But it is not of the essence to at least one EU member state. It is likely that the UK parliament will accept May's original deal with the EU if members can blame someone else for forcing them to chose against a hard Brexit. Will Theresa May’s Brexit deal survive? Game theory has an answer For the prisoners dilemma, the assumptions are simple: both players act rationally to their best interest and there are only two possible strategies involved. If each group believes what May has been telling them – so it is her deal or no other deal – then she has set up the prisoner’s dilemma perfectly. Remainers will support her deal as the lowest cost option and the one that will stop the Brexiteers getting a no deal outcome. The Brexiteers will back her too, partly to stop the Remainers getting a second referendum. http://theconversation.com/will-theresa-mays-brexit-deal-survive-game-theory-has-an-answer-107532 See also: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvinmelvin Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 4 hours ago, Grouse said: Ha! <deleted> Ha! what was wrong with that then? the hourglass is about to run short of sand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evadgib Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 5 hours ago, soalbundy said: I would have thought that the NI border would have been flashing red from the beginning as it is the only land border between the UK and the EU Not forgetting... Joint statement by Junker and May Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 9 hours ago, AlexRich said: Juncker's got a plaster on his face. Let's hope Theresa gave him a good kicking. No, I think an Elastoplast ad.....???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouse Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 4 hours ago, melvinmelvin said: what was wrong with that then? the hourglass is about to run short of sand I'm not going to explain everything to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baerboxer Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 15 hours ago, AlexRich said: Juncker's got a plaster on his face. Let's hope Theresa gave him a good kicking. Shaving whilst pissed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baerboxer Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 May's either a very good poker player, bluffing everyone whilst running the clock down to force her deal on everyone; or a complete prat whose lost the plot. For fcku sake May, time was of the essence from day one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomacht8 Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 “British people should remember that the EU was created for the benefit of member states, not for those outside” — Lars Vesterbirk, Greenland's former representative to the EU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.