Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May
British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet ministers on Thursday to discuss Brexit, hours after her parliamentary partner threatened to withdraw its support if she accepts what it calls a "draconian solution" on offer from the European Union.
Just six months before Britain is due to leave the EU, the two sides differ on their view of the talks - the bloc says a withdrawal deal is within reach, while British officials say "significant obstacles" still lie in the way of any agreement.
They do agree on one thing - that time is running out to seal a deal to pave the way for Britain's divorce, the biggest trade and foreign policy shift for more than 40 years. As that departure date creeps closer, those wanting to influence May's approach to Brexit are stepping up their efforts.
The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Wednesday called for "decisive progress" in negotiations with Britain in time for a summit of all 28 EU nation leaders next week.Brexit negotiators from both sides have been locked in intense discussions this week, trying to overcome differences on the biggest outstanding hurdle to a Brexit deal - how to keep the Ireland-UK border open after Britain leaves the bloc in March.Speaking after Barnier briefed the executive European Commission, spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a news conference: "He recalled that decisive progress must be made in time for the October European Council next week and negotiations at the technical level will continue this week."The 27 EU states will get an update at a meeting of national ambassadors, without Britain, on Friday evening. The sides will continue negotiations through the weekend with hopes for a breakthrough as early as Monday.EU's commissioner says 'we are not there yet' on BrexitThe 27 EU leaders meeting next Wednesday and Thursday in Brussels want to be able to announce decisive progress on the Brexit deal to agree to hold another summit in November. That would be to finalise work on a declaration of close future ties with Britain that would also be part of the Brexit package."Michel Barnier and his team are working day and night to reach a deal, but we are not there yet," EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told the news conference.In a sign of progress, diplomats in Brussels told Reuters the European Union no longer expected a new proposal from Britain for the Ireland-UK border fix after Brexit as negotiators from both sides were seeking to agree on it in direct talks.Previously, the 27 states who will remain in the bloc insisted that London present formal new proposals for the border in writing.EU, Britain narrowing differences on Irish border in Brexit talksThe issue of how to avoid extensive checks at the border between EU state Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland - Britain's only land frontier - after Brexit is the last remaining hurdle, with nearly everything else in the withdrawal agreement agreed before Britain leaves next March.NO-DEALBoth the EU and Britain have signalled progress in recent days, boosting the sentiment in markets, which fear the most damaging no-deal Brexit."My feeling is that there is a smaller probability for lack of deal now than we have had for some time," Danuta Hubner, a European Parliament lawmaker dealing with Brexit, told a committee.But the Commission has also looked at preparations among the 27 states for a no-deal scenario on Wednesday, discussing a document laying out the multiple disruptions that would ensue, including customs checks and duties kicking in immediately on all imports and exports between the EU and Britain.UK PM May's possible Brexit deal could be backed by 30-40 Labour lawmakersWhile some in the Commission wanted to publish the document, the Brexit negotiators feared it would upset Britain and could hurt the negotiations."We are working hard for the Brexit negotiations to succeed. But since we can't guarantee the result right now, we have to prepare for all possible outcomes," one diplomat said."There is a growing sense among the EU27 that outstanding preparedness questions have to be addressed very quickly and in a detailed way... The EU27 need to be ready on day one to address issues like citizen's rights, transport or customs coherently."Avramopoulos also said the bloc's no-deal contingency plans on security were driven by "goodwill", stressing the bloc would want to continue cooperating with Britain closely, including on sharing intelligence. 
EU's Barnier calls for 'decisive progress' on Brexit for summit next week
One of the biggest hurdles is an agreement on the so-called Irish backstop to prevent the return of a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland if there is no immediate trade deal.
A seamless border is part of the settlement which largely ended decades of violence in the province.
Neither side has indicated there has been a deal on the Irish backstop. But after meetings in Brussels, the Democratic Unionist Party, which props up the Conservative government in parliament, has issued a series of terse warnings to May.
DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson condemned what he said was the EU's offer for a backstop that would keep Britain in the customs union for an unspecified time-limited period, would exclude Northern Ireland from any new British trade deals and see checks on goods moving from mainland Britain to the province.
The European Union's top migration official said on Wednesday that Brexit negotiators were holding intense talks but they have not yet concluded a deal."Michel Barnier and his team are working day and night to reach a deal, but we are not there yet," Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told a news conference, referring to the bloc's chief Brexit negotiator.EU, Britain narrowing differences on Irish border in Brexit talksUK PM May's possible Brexit deal could be backed by 30-40 Labour lawmakers
EU's commissioner says 'we are not there yet' on Brexit
Brexiteers warned UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday night that she could keep Britain within European Union customs arrangements only until 2022, The Times reported on Monday.May hopes to unlock talks that have become stuck over the so-called Irish backstop, The Times reported. https://bit.ly/2E6yvlBThe newspaper added that leading Conservative Leave figures said they were prepared to give May room for manoeuvre but that any extension could run only until the next election in 2022. UK PM May seeks support as others draw Brexit battle linesScotland's Sturgeon says her party likely to vote against Brexit dealIrish foreign minister says good chance of getting Brexit deal
Brexiteers set limit for UK PM Theresa May's trade deal with EU
May's acceptance of such a proposal "would have implications not just for Brexit legislation – 50 per cent of which would not have passed without DUP support – but also for the budget, welfare reform and other domestic legislation", he said.
"She will not have DUP support regardless of whether the government tries to bribe, bully or browbeat us into accepting it," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
By withdrawing its support, the DUP could make it impossible for May to pass legislation through parliament, including the budget which will be voted on later this month.
The United Kingdom should call a referendum to allow voters to choose between a no-deal Brexit and staying in a reformed European Union as British politics is deadlocked over the issue, former Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Thursday.Less than six months before the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, there is little clarity about how the world's fifth largest economy and its preeminent international financial centre will trade with the EU after Brexit.If Prime Minister Theresa May can strike a deal with the EU, she has to get it approved by the British parliament, which is deeply divided over Brexit.Some members of her ruling Conservative Party are unhappy about the Brexit proposals she has made, and the main opposition Labour Party has indicated it is likely to vote down any deal May brings back.EU's Barnier calls for 'decisive progress' on Brexit for summit next weekBlair, a former Labour prime minister, said he did not expect May to be able to get a deal through parliament so the country should be offered a new vote."It really is difficult... The alternatives are all worse because if you do get to a blockage in parliament that is what opens up the possibility of going back to the people," Blair, who was premier from 1997 to 2007, told a Reuters newsmaker in London."My view is this only happens if there is blockage in parliament. But if there is blockage in parliament it is a very simple argument. You say, look we have been two and a bit years trying to reach an agreement that works, parliament is blocked."EU's commissioner says 'we are not there yet' on BrexitBoth opponents and supporters of Brexit agree that the divorce is Britain’s most significant geopolitical move since World War Two, though they cast vastly different futures for the $2.9 trillion UK economy and the world’s biggest trading bloc.Blair has repeatedly called for reversing Brexit, echoing other critics such as French President Emmanuel Macron and billionaire investor George Soros, who have suggested that Britain could still change its mind.Blair said that if Brexit did happen, the economic dislocation would be such that the United Kingdom would have to pitch to investors that it would be the best place in the world to do business. 
Tony Blair says UK needs a referendum to stop Brexit
Meeting
May will gather several of her ministers later on Thursday as part of routine meetings to keep her cabinet team updated on progress in Brexit talks.
The meeting takes place against growing criticism over her plans to leave the EU with some Conservative eurosceptic lawmakers saying they will vote against any deal based on her so-called "Chequers" proposal, named after her country residence.
Former prime minister John Major, whose career as leader was crushed partly by eurosceptics, said the behaviour of some of those Conservatives was "an intolerable way to treat a prime minister who's in the middle of negotiations".
But the parliamentary arithmetic is difficult for May. With the support of the DUP she commands a majority of only 13 lawmakers and needs to keep either her own party onside or attract votes from the main opposition Labour Party.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said the party will vote against any deal that does not meet its tests - something the Chequers plan does not fulfil.
And former Labour leader Tony Blair added his voice to calls for the party to vote down May's Brexit divorce deal.
"My view is this only happens if there is blockage in parliament. But if there is blockage in parliament it is a very simple argument. You say look we have been two and a bit years trying to reach an agreement that works, parliament is blocked."