She is portraying herself as standing tall for Britain while Brussels and the other European Union members gang up against her. But she seemed to be blaming the “bureaucrats in Brussels” more than the other heads of state and government who will have a vital say in any final deal, which must be unanimously agreed to by the other 27 member states of the European Union. Britain must “clear the accounts,” Mr. Barnier said, though the amount would have to be negotiated, and he refused to name a figure. Britain would also be expected to pay its share of pension obligations and for the relocation of two European Union agencies currently housed in Britain. A “shared passion” with Mrs. May for hiking and rambling in the mountains gave them a basis for good relations, he said.

Source: New York Times May 03, 2017 19:28 UTC