UK PM Theresa May
PM Theresa May spoke live from Downing Street after EU leaders to reject her plan with no alternative at this “late stage of negotiations” was “not acceptable”.
Declaring: “I will not overturn the result of the referendum nor will I break up my country.”
Mrs May’s statement came after EU leaders said Chequers plan would not work, at a summit in Salzburg. Adding: “Throughout this process I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same, a good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.
“At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side’s proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals. So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress.”
Accepting that the UK and EU were still “a long way apart” on two big issues, the post-Brexit economic relationship between the UK and EU, and the “backstop” for the Irish border, if there is a delay in implementing that relationship.
The EU leaders has stated that the cheques plan will not work, without giving any explanation for the two sides to work on. They have offered two options, for the UK to stay in the European Economic Area and customs union or a basic free trade agreement, May said that these options were not acceptable.
The first would “make a mockery of the referendum” she said, while the second would mean Northern Ireland would be “permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea.”
May statement was a clear message to the EU leaders, “In the meantime, we must and will continue the work of preparing ourselves for no deal.”
Stating to the EU citizen living the UK “… I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay.”
As the negation talks hit another road work, the deadline date get nearer the likelihood of no-deal Brexit increases.