Simon Coveney said he did not believe that the UK would crash out of the European Union GEORGE CRACKNELL WRIGHT/ALAMYSimon Coveney has told British MPs seeking changes to the backstop in the Brexit withdrawal agreement that the time for “wishful thinking” is over. It comes as Theresa May has admitted to her senior ministers for the first time that she is unlikely to secure support for her deal in the House of Commons vote on Tuesday. The British prime minister pledged to “move quickly” in the event of defeat, but did not spell out how, and her aides later refused to elaborate. Reports that British officials were in secret discussions to move the Brexit deadline back beyond March 29 were denied in Brussels and London yesterday. Mrs May also reassured her cabinet that she remained opposed to delaying the UK’s exit from the European…

Source: The Times January 09, 2019 00:00 UTC