Brexit

New push for Brexit proposals by weekend

cde.news desk 7 March 2019, 13:00 · 2 min read

epa07418901 (01/66) A close-up view of a Brexit inspired mural by anonymous British street artist Banksy depicting the European flag in Dover, Britain, 15 February 2019. The graffiti that appeared on a building near Dover's ferry terminal shows a worker removing one of the 12 stars from the EU flag. The Port of Dover, handling up to 10.000 trucks a day, estimated that no-deal Brexit can lead to almost 30 kilometers (17 miles) long lines to the customs. Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on 29 March 2019, two years after Prime Minister Theresa May invoked Article 50, the mechanism to notify the EU of her country's intention to abandon the member's club after the tightly-contested 2016 referendum. The results of that referendum exposed a divided nation. Leave won, claiming 52 percent of the overall vote. Voters in England and Wales came out in favor of leave, while Scotland and Northern Ireland plumped for remain. It was still unclear on what terms the UK would leave the EU, with lawmakers having rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's initial deal hammered out with the EU, the fruit of years of negotiations. There was also talk of extending the March 29 deadline, which would delay Brexit, as well as the floating of a second referendum, with the opposition Labour Party of Jeremy Corbyn appearing to now throw its weight behind that. Citizens and industries across the UK, including the banking, tourism and farming sectors, and many of whom rely on exporting products or bringing in goods from Europe, will have to adapt in a post-Brexit Britain, whether there is a deal with the EU or not. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL ATTENTION: For the full PHOTO ESSAY text please see Advisory Notice epa07418899 , epa07418900

Britain has been given until the end of Friday to come forward with fresh proposals to break the Brexit deadlock.

EU officials, the BBC reported, have said they are ready to work through the weekend if the UK comes forward with an “acceptable” plan to resolve the impasse over the Northern Ireland backstop.

Theresa May is facing a crunch Commons vote on Tuesday when she takes her Brexit deal back to MPs following its overwhelming rejection in January by a majority of 230.

The British Prime Minister has staked her hopes of getting through the “meaningful vote” this time on securing concessions from the EU on the backstop – which has proved the main stumbling block to an agreement.

Members of Parliament from May’s own Conservative Party, know as Brexiteers, have been demanding legally-binding assurances the UK cannot be tied indefinitely to EU rules through the backstop, intended to prevent the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland.

However, talks in Brussels on Tuesday between the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and British Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and the UK’s Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay broke up without agreement.

Both sides acknowledged that the meeting had been “difficult”, with reports Mr Barnier complained that Mr Cox had brought forward “a legal solution to a political problem”.

Philip Hammond warned Tory Brexiteers against voting down Mrs May’s deal next week, saying rejecting it would lead to a delay to Brexit.

Via BBC

Filed under Brexit

Topics BREXIT Brexiters deadlock United Kingdom

New push for Brexit proposals by weekend

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