May Heads to Strasbourg in Late Bid for Brexit Breakthrough

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May (centre).

(Photo: AP)

Prime Minister Theresa May set off for Strasbourg late Monday, 11 March, for talks with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker in a last-ditch attempt to salvage their Brexit deal, on the eve of a crucial vote in the British parliament.

Her visit comes after British officials worked through the weekend to secure concessions from the European Union they hope will persuade MPs to back the text.

The House of Commons overwhelmingly defeated the deal in January and without significant changes, is expected to do so again in a vote on Tuesday, 12 March, evening.

"The prime minister has just departed for Strasbourg for talks with (European Commission chief) Jean-Claude Juncker," her spokesman said.

The EU has rejected many of May's demands, which relate to the controversial backstop plan for the Irish border, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it had made an offer at the weekend.

Defeat could see Britain sever ties with its closest trading partner on 29 March with no new arrangements, causing huge disruption on both sides of the Channel.

It would also raise the possibility of postponing Brexit, after May promised to allow MPs a vote later this week on whether to accept a "no deal" scenario or request a short delay from the EU.

Hopes for a breakthrough in the talks looked slim earlier Monday, after the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said it was up to May and British MPs to find a compromise.

"We held talks over the weekend and the negotiations now are between the government in London and the parliament in London," he told AFP in Brussels.

But Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney then suggested May could visit Strasbourg, where the European Parliament is holding its plenary session this week, to "finalise an agreement, if that's possible".

In Berlin, Merkel said the EU had offered "a large number of proposals at the weekend" to provide "much more legal clarity" over the Irish backstop.

"We've made an important offer again towards Great Britain and now of course it's up to Great Britain to react to these offers," Merkel said in Berlin. The late trip caused concern among MPs in London, who complained they may not have enough time to scrutinise any deal May agrees before being asked to vote on Tuesday.

"Is this incompetence or is this just contempt for parliament?" said opposition Labour MP Yvette Cooper.

An EU spokeswoman confirmed the talks would take place around 9:00pm (2000 GMT), and an EU source said Barnier would probably also attend.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay is expected to update the Commons in London after that.

May's deal was struck during more than a year of tough negotiations, and covers Britain's financial settlement, expatriate rights, the Irish border and plans for a transition period.

But MPs rejected it in January by 432 votes to 202, with many of May's Conservatives rebelling against her.

The Commons later sent her back to renegotiate the backstop, an arrangement intended to keep open the border between British Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

This would keep Britain in the EU's customs union and parts of its single market until and unless another way -- such as a trade deal -- is found to avoid frontier checks.

Many MPs fear it is a "trap" to keep them tied to EU rules, but Brussels has rejected calls for a time limit or unilateral exit clause. "It is harder to leave the backstop than it is to leave the EU," Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said.

May has promised Britain will leave the EU whatever happens on March 29, but many MPs fear that a "no deal" exit would wreak economic havoc.

In the face of a cabinet revolt, she promised that if her deal is defeated again then MPs will vote on "no deal" on Wednesday and then on Thursday, on delaying Brexit.

Any postponement would have to be approved by the leaders of the other 27 nations, who are next meeting at a Brussels summit on March 21-22 -- a week before Brexit.

(Published in arrangement with PTI)