UK Prime Minister Theresa May is going to meet her cabinet today to unify a stance on Brexit negotiation, in particular the Irish backstop. Ahead of the cabinet meeting, Housing Minister James Brokenshire urged other fellow ministers to support May in “making further progress this week”. And he emphasized that “whilst making sure that it is our entire United Kingdom that leaves the European Union, the single market and the customs union because it is our UK that is just so important.”
Speaking to the parliament yesterday, May urged EU for not letting the stand-off over backstop to derail Brexit negotiation. However, an unnamed official was quoted by Reuters complaining that May’s messages “demonstrate that finding an agreement will be even more difficult than one could have expected.”
French minister for European Affairs Nathalie Loiseau said that “we want a good deal and we think it is possible.” But she also said that France was preparing for a no-deal Brexit and have already made legislative proposals on the scenario. An unnamed official was quoted by Reuters saying that the government “need to prepare faster” for no-deal. And ” it is in the interests of citizens and businesses to wrap up the exit agreement as swiftly as possible.”
May is expected to tell EU leaders her views at the summit dinner tomorrow in Brussels.
