UK PM May says Brexit talks reaching their endgame, issues remain

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UK PM May says Brexit talks reaching their endgame, issues remain

By Andrew MacAskill and Elizabeth Piper

 

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May stands at the door of 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, October 24, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday that there were still considerable unresolved issues with the European Union over Brexit as the two sides approached the "endgame" in negotiations for departure from the bloc.

 

May's compromise plan, which seeks to maintain close trade ties with the EU in the future, is facing opposition from Brexiteers, pro-Europeans, the Northern Irish party that props up her government, and even some of her own ministers.

 

"The negotiations for our departure are now in the endgame," May said in a speech at the Guildhall in London's financial district. "We are working extremely hard, through the night, to make progress on the remaining issues in the Withdrawal Agreement, which are significant."

 

With under five months until Britain leaves the EU, talks have stalled over a disagreement on the so-called Northern Irish backstop, an insurance policy to ensure there will be no return to a hard border on the island of Ireland if a future trading relationship is not agreed in time.

 

May's attempt to unblock the talks by considering an extension to a status-quo transition period beyond the current proposed end date of December 2021 has both angered eurosceptics and EU supporters in her party.

 

Fears that the proposals would mean keeping Britain inside the EU's customs union indefinitely or that Northern Ireland would have to accept different rules and regulations to the rest of the United Kingdom have focused opposition to May's deal.

 

Negotiations are continuing this week, but officials are warning unless there is dramatic progress by the end of Wednesday there is unlikely to be a summit this month to approve a Brexit deal.

 

Brexit talks with the EU ran through Sunday night until 0245 and resumed on Monday morning.

 

Both sides need an agreement to keep trade flowing between the world's biggest trading bloc and the fifth largest national economy.

 

NOT AT ANY COST

The prime minister told the audience in her annual speech at the Lord Mayor's Banquet that she would not agree a Brexit deal "at any cost".

 

"Both sides want to reach an agreement. But what we are negotiating is immensely difficult," May said. "This will not be an agreement at any cost."

 

She also said that Britain was open to better relations with Russia after ties plunged to a post-Cold War low over an attack involving a military-grade nerve agent on English soil.

 

The poisonings of double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, blamed by Britain on Russian intelligence agents earlier this year, strained ties between the countries.

 

She said that Britain was "ready to respond in kind" if there were signs of increased cooperation from Russia.

 

A year ago, May used a speech at the same venue to accuse Moscow of military aggression and of meddling in elections, some of her strongest criticism even before the poisoning of a former Russian spy.

 

This year, she said that the action taken since - including the largest ever coordinated expulsion of Russian intelligence officers - had "fundamentally degraded" Russia's intelligence capability.

 

Despite the ongoing threats, the prime minister will say "this is not the relationship with Russia that we want."

 

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-13

[Somtamnication]

Screw it! Exit, baby, exit! Enough is enough.

[Samui Bodoh]

it is like jumping off a high cliff, then halfway down debating whether or not you should have done it.

 

Sorry, UK; It'll be an ugly "SPLAT!".

 

 

[maingmoom]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

it is like jumping off a high cliff, then halfway down debating whether or not you should have done it.

 

Sorry, UK; It'll be an ugly "SPLAT!".

 

 

If you asked the voters that voted for Brexit what they want now, they would say a clean break from Europe. Enough is enough with Europe trying to hold Britain to ransom. They never did like the idea of Britain leaving and they have acted like spoilt brats ever since.

[britishrepublican]

She is the most incompetent prime minister of my lifetime. Shes been in over her head since day one and the EU leaders do not respect her, the British people dont even respect her.

 

Europe has been our mortal enemy since day one. The EU only came about to try and end British hegemony of the continent. If I was prime minister, I would make it British government policy to work towards the complete destruction of the European union. They obstruct and frustrate us at every oppurtunity and countless British governments have put up with it for years. France has never forgiven the British and Americans for liberating their country from nazi Germany and Germany has never been our friend.

 

No deal is the best deal we are going to get and I would be happy with that.

[britishrepublican]

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

it is like jumping off a high cliff, then halfway down debating whether or not you should have done it.

 

Sorry, UK; It'll be an ugly "SPLAT!".

 

 

Wrong.. it will be beautiful once we've left. Once again, we will take our rightful place in the world as a fully independent country, leading the world as we've done for most of the last millennium. 

[melvinmelvin]

 

barstools,

here we go again ! find a ripple - rule

 

[Retiredandhappyhere]

6 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

it is like jumping off a high cliff, then halfway down debating whether or not you should have done it.

 

Sorry, UK; It'll be an ugly "SPLAT!".

 

 

Am I allowed to disagree?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, maingmoom said:

If you asked the voters that voted for Brexit what they want now, they would say a clean break from Europe. Enough is enough with Europe trying to hold Britain to ransom. They never did like the idea of Britain leaving and they have acted like spoilt brats ever since.

To what do you base your claim that EU is somehow holding Britain to ransom? 

 

The rules of these negotiations has been quite clear since day one. It just took Briain 2 years to understand the rules. Two wasted years which could have been used to make sure that co-operation between EU and separated UK works as well as possible. 

 

No, you really can't put the blame on EU for this Brexit mess. 

[dunroaming]

4 hours ago, maingmoom said:

If you asked the voters that voted for Brexit what they want now, they would say a clean break from Europe. Enough is enough with Europe trying to hold Britain to ransom. They never did like the idea of Britain leaving and they have acted like spoilt brats ever since.

You are right they never wanted the UK to leave and they said that even before the vote.  They said that they would make sure that Britain would be worst off by leaving and they are just keeping to their word.  The leave campaigners told us otherwise but they had no idea of the reality so just made it up as they went along.  Creek and no paddle comes to mind but all this chaos is self inflicted.

 

Yes we are approaching the end game but we have no idea what that is going to be.  Quite pathetic really.

[bristolboy]

8 hours ago, maingmoom said:

If you asked the voters that voted for Brexit what they want now, they would say a clean break from Europe. 

Best way to test the truth of your assertion is to hold another referendum.

[Baerboxer]

8 hours ago, oilinki said:

To what do you base your claim that EU is somehow holding Britain to ransom? 

 

The rules of these negotiations has been quite clear since day one. It just took Briain 2 years to understand the rules. Two wasted years which could have been used to make sure that co-operation between EU and separated UK works as well as possible. 

 

No, you really can't put the blame on EU for this Brexit mess. 

 

You mean the various ever increasing but unsubstantiated amounts various EU leaders, bureaucrats and negotiators plucked out of thin air and demanded Britain agree to pay before any real discussions would be allowed?

 

It takes 2 to Tango. One hasn't got a clue what to do and the other is uninterested anyway. Name one constructive suggestion Barnier has put forward on anything?

[welovesundaysatspace]

19 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Name one constructive suggestion Barnier has put forward on anything?

“These are our different membership options. Pick one you like. And don’t forget to fulfill your obligations from your existing membership you signed up for.”

[Grouse]

11 hours ago, maingmoom said:

If you asked the voters that voted for Brexit what they want now, they would say a clean break from Europe.

No they wouldn't. They would say can I 'av scraps with that or can I 'av a Babycham?

[Grouse]

10 hours ago, britishrepublican said:

The EU only came about to try and end British hegemony of the continent. I

Nurse! Nurse!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

You mean the various ever increasing but unsubstantiated amounts various EU leaders, bureaucrats and negotiators plucked out of thin air and demanded Britain agree to pay before any real discussions would be allowed?

 

It takes 2 to Tango. One hasn't got a clue what to do and the other is uninterested anyway. Name one constructive suggestion Barnier has put forward on anything?

No. I mean that EU has always played the fair game. UK has been the entity which has been confused for some internal reasons. 

 

UK's Tango has always been internal, stupid political fight, by Brits. 

 

UK's Tango has never been againsts EU for reals. It has only been saying out loud how bad the people of UK actually feel. 

 

That's how you get Brexit. You get brexit by the people who hate the UK government, not the EU. 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Guest

[Scott]

Troll post removed.   The only person stalking you is me.  

 

Stay on topic or face a suspension.

 

[maingmoom]

On 11/13/2018 at 7:25 PM, bristolboy said:

Best way to test the truth of your assertion is to hold another referendum.

Why should we ? A referendum was held and the country voted out. 

[billd766]

On 11/13/2018 at 7:25 PM, bristolboy said:

Best way to test the truth of your assertion is to hold another referendum.

How can you have another referendum when the first one is not completed yet?

 

If the remainers win, then what? that would be 1 all.

 

The leavers would then demand another referendum.

 

How can the remainers and the government then deny them their democratic right to do so?

 

Would that be 2 out of 3, 3 out of 5 etc.

 

 

[melvinmelvin]

26 minutes ago, billd766 said:

How can you have another referendum when the first one is not completed yet?

 

If the remainers win, then what? that would be 1 all.

 

The leavers would then demand another referendum.

 

How can the remainers and the government then deny them their democratic right to do so?

 

Would that be 2 out of 3, 3 out of 5 etc.

 

 

 

Apply America's Cup counting, first to win 7 trumps.

(UK has had long traditions in AC)

 

 

[dick dasterdly]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

How can you have another referendum when the first one is not completed yet?

 

If the remainers win, then what? that would be 1 all.

 

The leavers would then demand another referendum.

 

How can the remainers and the government then deny them their democratic right to do so?

 

Would that be 2 out of 3, 3 out of 5 etc.

 

 

It's a nightmare with the electorate having voted to leave - and politicians desperate for a 'deal' that is leave in name only, without the electorate realising....

 

Unfortunately for May, everyone and their dog knows that her leave in name only 'deal' can't be sold as anything else to the electorate.....

[dunroaming]

3 hours ago, maingmoom said:

Why should we ? A referendum was held and the country voted out. 

Yes that argument is wearing a bit thin.  The people voted for the Brexit they were told they would get.  But that was just a series of lies that would/could never be delivered.  Now the leavers are crying foul because their Brexit isn't being delivered.  Crying foul but still expecting, by some miracle, that suddenly their promised Brexit will happen.

 

As always the fingers point towards May because she was a remainer and never wanted Brexit at all.  So why did she surround herself with Brexiteers to do the negotiating? Davis did his bit and failed and then another adamant Brexiteer Raab was brought in.  He failed to get anywhere as well.  Liam Fox and Gove were two more that ended up backing May's proposed deal because they recognised that that was all the EU was prepared to give.

 

Johnson, JRM and the other leave supporters backed May for the PM's job.  Why would they do that I wonder?  The Brexit people voted for is not on the table and was never achievable.  So what we are left with is leaving in name only and the Brexiteers will go along with that rather than have a voice to stop it.  Fortunately there are enough of us who will not let that happen without a fight.

[dunroaming]

Last night parliament took back control.  They will now have the power to stop May jumping over the cliff edge after her deal is rejected next week.  They will have a say in what happens next.  For those who are scared of a peoples vote this may do the trick then.  I would be happy to let parliament have the final say rather than the government who are backed into a corner.

[sammieuk1]

Just waiting for Boris's better deal out than in and we can forget the new 70p pound and move swiftly on to a 50p one????

[dick dasterdly]

28 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Yes that argument is wearing a bit thin.  The people voted for the Brexit they were told they would get.  But that was just a series of lies that would/could never be delivered.  Now the leavers are crying foul because their Brexit isn't being delivered.  Crying foul but still expecting, by some miracle, that suddenly their promised Brexit will happen.

 

As always the fingers point towards May because she was a remainer and never wanted Brexit at all.  So why did she surround herself with Brexiteers to do the negotiating? Davis did his bit and failed and then another adamant Brexiteer Raab was brought in.  He failed to get anywhere as well.  Liam Fox and Gove were two more that ended up backing May's proposed deal because they recognised that that was all the EU was prepared to give.

 

Johnson, JRM and the other leave supporters backed May for the PM's job.  Why would they do that I wonder?  The Brexit people voted for is not on the table and was never achievable.  So what we are left with is leaving in name only and the Brexiteers will go along with that rather than have a voice to stop it.  Fortunately there are enough of us who will not let that happen without a fight.

Much like remainer politicians and media lies.....

 

Personally, I think Osborne's promised 'punishment budget' in the event of a leave vote was the final nail in the coffin....

 

The electorate might have been frightened by the continual 'voting leave will result in immediate disaster' propaganda - but Osborne's promised punishment budget made the fear propaganda very clear.....

[dunroaming]

55 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

Much like remainer politicians and media lies.....

 

Personally, I think Osborne's promised 'punishment budget' in the event of a leave vote was the final nail in the coffin....

 

The electorate might have been frightened by the continual 'voting leave will result in immediate disaster' propaganda - but Osborne's promised punishment budget made the fear propaganda very clear.....

I agree that Osborne did lie about the economic disaster and that Carney's predictions were way off of the mark too.  But the vast majority of people have said consistently that they voted to leave to take back control of the borders and get sovereignty back.  Never heard of any Brexiteer saying that they voted based on believing Osborne was lying about the consequences.