Plans for PM to visit Brussels to sign off on compromise before Tuesday’s vote put on holdDowning Street has described the Brexit talks in Brussels as “deadlocked” after negotiations over the weekend failed to find a breakthrough on the Irish backstop. Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, spoke on the telephone on Sunday evening to “take stock”, but plans for the prime minister to visit the Belgian capital to sign off on any compromise are on hold. “No further meetings at a political level are scheduled but both sides will remain in close contact this week”, a commission spokesman added on Monday. Leading Tories have warned Downing Street it could face a second huge defeat similar to the historic 230-vote loss in January if the government goes ahead. Should the prime minister go ahead with her vote and lose, the Commons is likely to vote to extend article 50 and rule out a no-deal Brexit.

Source: The Guardian March 11, 2019 07:44 UTC