UK PM Rallies Ministers On Eve Of Brexit Summit
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published October 16, 2018 | 04:43 PM
British Prime Minister Theresa May gathered her divided cabinet Tuesday to seek their support for her approach to Brexit, the day before she addresses EU leaders at a crucial Brussels summit.
London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Oct, 2018 ) :British Prime Minister Theresa May gathered her divided cabinet Tuesday to seek their support for her approach to Brexit, the day before she addresses EU leaders at a crucial Brussels summit.
Negotiations on Britain's withdrawal from the European Union have stalled ahead of the summit, which had been billed as the deadline for a draft deal before Brexit day on March 29.
May is still struggling to reconcile conflicting demands from Brussels and her own MPs, raising fears of a chaotic and damaging divorce.
Several of her senior ministers reportedly met late Monday to coordinate their approach over takeaway pizza, before Tuesday's regular cabinet meeting focused this week on Brexit.
Media reports this weekend suggested several Brexit-supporting ministers were considering resigning if May compromised too much with Brussels.
Asked about the pizza meeting on Monday, May's spokesman said: "Cabinet ministers are free to eat whatever they choose." But with a deal looking unlikely this week after the latest round of talks broke down on Sunday, the immediate threat of walk-outs appears to have reduced.
The prime minister will still go to the summit, where she will make her pitch to the other 27 EU leaders before they have dinner without her to talk about the next steps in the Brexit negotiations.
Another summit has been pencilled in for mid-November, although some leaders have said it will only go ahead if there is progress this week.
Addressing MPs on Monday, May said a deal was "achievable" but the talks remained stuck on the issue of how to keep open the border between British Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.
Britain has proposed staying aligned to the EU's customs rules until a wider trade deal can be signed that avoids the need for any frontier checks.
But her own eurosceptic Conservative MPs are demanding this "backstop" arrangement be time-limited, something the EU will not accept.
Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) have also threatened to pull their support for May's government if the Irish issue results in a different status for the province.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Dar for joint action to counter Islamophobia in context of Israeli aggression ag ..
Azam Tarar urges for effective implementation of Action Plan for Human Rights
PAF cadets' graduation ceremony held
One-day national seminar "Great Power Competition: Challenges and Opportunities ..
10 firms submit LoIs for PIA: Aleem Khan
Saudi Arabia launches Nusuk pilgrim card for the Hajj of 2024
High Commissioner Hawkins hosts reception to mark 'Australia Day in Spring'
PM forms inquiry committee to probe matter of wheat import
E-Evidence system inaugurated in Bahawalnagar district courts
Bitterness at UCLA as Gaza protest cleared
Kenya, Tanzania brace for cyclone as heavy rains persist
DC reviews seven-day anti-polio drive in Federal Capital
More Stories From Business
-
10 firms submit LoIs for PIA: Aleem Khan
7 hours ago -
Trained manpower imperative for food security: Dr Sarwar
9 hours ago -
Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation visits Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)
10 hours ago -
Pakistan's total liquid foreign reserves reach $ 13.316 billion
11 hours ago -
WWF-Pakistan rolls out regenerative agriculture practices initiative
11 hours ago -
Govt to equip agri-sector with modern technology: Rana Tanveer
10 hours ago
-
US trade gap wider than anticipated in March
11 hours ago -
Pakistani entrepreneurs asked for exploring business opportunities in Ethiopia
10 hours ago -
US trade gap wider than anticipated in March
11 hours ago -
Mongolian envoy for joint efforts to improve trade ties
11 hours ago -
Rupee gains 01 pasia against US dollar
12 hours ago -
Ahsan Iqbal expresses Pakistan's eagerness to enter CPEC Phase-II
12 hours ago