In the Brexit latest, Saturday’s march of 700,000 calling for a second referendum has gone unheard as the UK Government today continues negotiations for Britain to exit the European Union.
The former leader of the Conservatives Iain Duncan Smith, former minister Owen Paterson and former Northern Ireland first minister David Trimble met the European chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels.
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Duncan Smith said: “We are presenting some ideas which we think are constructive, and we had a constructive discussion, and now we’re going to go back to talk to the government about it.”
The trio unanimously denied undermining Prime Minister Theresa May.
A personal attack on the UK PM
May has come under ever greater attack for her part in Brexit, with a Tory MP telling the Sunday Times: “The moment is coming when the knife gets heated, stuck in her front and twisted. She’ll be dead soon.”
There were more comments that supporters of May described as “vile” and “violent”.
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By GlobalDataThe prime minister’s spokesman said: “Personal vitriol has no place in our politics.”
Duncan Smith said: “Whoever did that needs to have the fullest weight of the Conservative party on them, it has nothing to do with our politics – it has nothing to do with this issue.”
Theresa May defiant on Facebook
May sent out a defiant Facebook post where she said: “Turn on the TV most days and you’ll find someone speculating about what the Brexit talks mean for Theresa May.
“Has it been a good day or a bad day for me? Am I up or down?
“’How are YOU doing Prime Minister?’ one journalist asked me recently. I didn’t reply at the time but I’m going to give the answer now – and it’s very simple.
“None of this is about me.”
Brexit negotiation progress
Last week, discussions in Brussels opened up the idea of an extension to the transition period for Britain’s exit from the EU.
The suggestion came amid difficulties in negotiating a solution to Northern Ireland.
Today May is expected to tell the House of Commons that Brexit is 95% agreed with the European Union.
She will also say she will, as ever, stand firm on Northern Ireland and will not accept a final deal that creates a customs border in the Irish Sea or a hard border of checks between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
In her Facebook post, May also said: “What became clear at last week’s meeting in Brussels is that the very last stages of the talks are going to be the hardest of all.”
Brexit November summit on hold
It looks like the November summit that was planned to continue negotiations between the UK and the EU on Brexit will not be taking place.
This follows the impasse described last week between both parties on the Northern Ireland issue, with the EU requesting a backstop to the backstop, and a drought on new ideas.
An official statement reported by The Week said: “The EU27 leaders stand ready to convene a European Council, if and when [chief negotiator Michel Barnier] reports that decisive progress has been made. For now, EU27 is not planning to organise an extraordinary summit on Brexit in November.”
