PM's 'constructive' talks with Jean-Claude Juncker after EU official's close shave
Theresa May and the European Commission chief make "progress" as they seek to reach a breakthrough with just 37 days until Brexit.
Wednesday 20 February 2019 22:35, UK
Theresa May held a "constructive meeting" with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as she seeks to win changes to her Brexit agreement.
The prime minister travelled to Brussels on Wednesday to meet the top EU official, with just 37 days left until the UK's scheduled departure from the bloc.
Mrs May is hoping to win "legally-binding changes" to the backstop arrangement within her EU withdrawal agreement, which was overwhelmingly rejected by MPs last month.
The backstop is aimed at preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland, in the event such a scenario is not averted by a future EU-UK trade relationship.
But many MPs fear it could leave the UK permanently trapped in a customs union with the EU.
Ahead of their meeting, Mr Juncker sported a bandage on his cheek, which he revealed was as a result of cutting himself shaving.
He joked: "I'm telling you so that you don't think it was Mrs May who gave me this injury."
Speaking after their talks, Mrs May revealed she had "underlined the need for us to see legally-binding changes to the backstop which ensure it cannot be indefinite".
"That's what is required if a deal is going to pass the House of Commons," Mrs May added.
"We've agreed that work to find a solution will continue at pace, time is of the essence and it's in both our interests that when the UK leaves the EU it does so in an orderly way.
"And so we've made progress and the secretary of state for exiting the EU, the Brexit secretary, and the attorney general will be in Brussels tomorrow for further talks."
In a joint statement, it was revealed Mrs May and Mr Juncker discussed what guarantees could be given to assure MPs of the intended temporary nature of the backstop.
They also held talks on the role "alternative arrangements" could play in replacing the backstop in future.
In addition, the pair were said to have explored whether the political declaration on a hoped-for UK-EU trade deal could be altered to "increase confidence in the focus and ambition of both sides in delivering the future partnership envisaged as soon as possible".
Mrs May and Mr Juncker agreed to talk again before the end of the month.
Following the defeat of her Brexit deal in the Commons, Mrs May promised "changes" to her withdrawal agreement.
But the EU have repeatedly ruled out reopening the terms of the document and played down suggestions of a substantial renegotiation of the backstop.
Brussels has also stuck to its opposition to a time limit or UK exit mechanism being added to the backstop arrangement.
Mrs May travelled to Brussels following the dramatic resignation of three MPs from the Conservative Party in protest at her handling of Brexit.
Asked whether she would now do anything differently to try and prevent further possible resignations, Mrs May said: "The question of our membership of the EU has been a matter of disagreement in our party for many years now and it was never going to be easy for the UK to leave the EU after over 40 years of membership.
"But I believe that by delivering on the result of the referendum, which was our manifesto commitment, we're doing the right thing by the country and we're ensuring that by doing that we can actually then move forward together to a brighter future.
"But for the Conservative Party, under my leadership, I'm determined that we will offer the decent, the moderate, the patriotic politics that I believe people in the UK want to see and that people in the UK deserve."