Brexit: May and Juncker talks 'robust but constructive'
BBC February 7, 2019
Theresa May and
Jean-Claude Juncker have described their talks on changing the Brexit
deal as "robust but constructive", in a joint statement.
The European Commission President stressed the withdrawal agreement could not be changed, as the UK PM wants.But he said the EU was open to adding words to the non-binding future relations document that goes with it.
The two leaders agreed to meet for further talks before the end of February.
The EU and UK Brexit negotiating teams are, meanwhile, set to resume their talks to find out "whether a way through can be found that would gain the broadest possible support in the UK Parliament and respect the guidelines agreed by the European Council".
And Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and EU negotiator Michel Barnier will hold talks in Strasbourg on Monday.
- Tusk: Place in hell for no-plan Brexiteers
- Kuenssberg: Donald Tusk's planned outburst
- Brexit: All you need to know
She says the plan must change if it is to win the support of MPs who urged her to seek "alternative arrangements" when rejecting the deal last month.
"She raised various options for dealing with these concerns in the context of the Withdrawal Agreement in line with her commitments to the Parliament."
Mrs May is now meeting European Parliament President Antonio Tajani and the Parliament's Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt.
She will later hold talks with European Council President Donald Tusk, who sparked controversy on Wednesday by declaring there was a "special place in hell" for those who campaigned for Brexit without a plan to deliver it safely.
MPs who backed Leave in the 2016 referendum reacted with anger to the comments, accusing Mr Tusk of "arrogance".
David Lidington, the minister seen as Mrs May's second-in-command, said Mr Tusk's comment "wasn't the most brilliant diplomacy in the world" but would "detract from what I expect to be a courteous and sensible grown-up discussion".
Labour's fresh offer to May
The Labour leader's five demands include a "permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union" aligned with the EU's customs rules but with an agreement "that includes a UK say on future EU trade deals".
Mr Corbyn also wants close alignment with the EU single market and "dynamic alignment on rights and protections" for workers so that UK standards do not fall behind those of the EU.
He also proposes participation in EU agencies and funding programmes, and agreements on security and keeping access to the European Arrest Warrant.
The letter does not mention previous demands that any deal must deliver the "exact same benefits" that membership of the single market and customs union currently does - effectively scrapping the party's "six tests" that had been its Brexit policy.
The BBC's Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg said Labour's shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer would be meeting cabinet office minister David Lidington to discuss the proposals.
Labour MP Chris Leslie tweeted: "Seriously? Offering to help Tory Govt enable Brexit? It's not just Labour's conference policy in the bin.
"When the jobs go & revenues for services dry up as a result - Labour's leadership will have ZERO right to complain: they share responsibility."
Labour MP Owen Smith, who made a failed leadership bid in 2016, has told the BBC he and others were thinking of quitting the party over Mr Corbyn's Brexit stance.
But Labour's Stephen Kinnock, who backs the "Norway Plus" model of a close economic partnership with the EU, welcomed Mr Corbyn's letter, tweeting: "This can break the deadlock."
Mr Lidington said he and Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay would be willing to discuss Labour's proposals with Sir Keir and other frontbenchers.
But he said Labour's call to have a say in trade deals while being in a customs union with the EU was "wishful thinking", because Brussels had ruled it out.
There's pretty much zero expectation that any real progress will be made on Thursday when Theresa May comes back to Brussels looking for changes to the backstop.
Mr Tusk is not alone in Europe in his frustration at leading Brexiteers' unrealistic promises...
EU leaders are irritated too that - as they see it - the UK voted for Brexit but keeps looking to Brussels to come up with ways to make its exit workable and painless.
But most senior European politicians are keeping those thoughts quiet - in public.
Considering the tortuous political dance Theresa May is trying to pull off in Westminster, they realise outspokenly critical EU opinions may not be helpful if, in the end, they want to get this Brexit deal done with the UK.
Where are we in the Brexit process?
The UK is due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on Friday 29 March, when the two-year time limit on withdrawal negotiations enforced by the Article 50 process expires.In January, MPs overwhelmingly rejected the withdrawal deal that the government had negotiated with the EU, backing an amendment for the government to seek "alternative arrangements" to the backstop.
The backstop is an "insurance policy" designed to avoid "under all circumstances" the return of customs checkpoints between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic after Brexit.
Many fear creating physical infrastructure along the border could threaten the peace process.
But the Democratic Unionist Party and Brexiteers believe the proposed temporary single customs arrangement could threaten the integrity of the UK, leaving it bound by EU rules if no trade deal is agreed.
Wolfgang Hampel's very witty book 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) is No 1 Buecher de TOP List.
Many greetings - viele Grüße
Mats
buecher.de - Schnell, Günstig, Versandkostenfrei
Translate this page
Wolfgang Hampel's Satire ist mein Lieblingstier in Buecher de TOP list
You can order Wolfgang Hampel 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' (Satire is my favourite animal)
U.S.A.
United Kingdom
Australia
Austria
Brazil
Czechia
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Hungary
Italy
Japan
Norway
Poland
Romania
Slovak Republic
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
The Netherlands
Wolfgang Hampel - Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal )
Informationen über die Kultveranstaltung "Vita Magica" der Akademie für Ältere in Heidelberg
Wolfgang Hampel - Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal )
Many ESC fans from all over the world are so very sad because we lost Joy Fleming - one of the best singers ever.
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel sings 'Try to remember' especially for Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund at Vita Magica September
you can join
Betty MacDonald fan club
Betty MacDonald Society
Vita Magica
Eurovision Song Contest Fan Club
Wolfgang Hampel - Betty MacDonald fan club - and Vita Magica Founder
on Facebook
Vita Magica Betty MacDonald event with Wolfgang Hampel, Thomas Bödigheimer and Friedrich von Hoheneichen
Vita Magica
Betty MacDonald
Betty MacDonald fan club
Betty MacDonald fan club on Facebook
Betty MacDonald forum
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) - The Egg and I
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( Polski)
Wolfgang Hampel - LinkFang ( German )Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Academic ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - cyclopaedia.net ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - DBpedia ( English / German )
Wolfgang Hampel - people check ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Memim ( English )
Vashon Island - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French )
Wolfgang Hampel - Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - Wikipedia ( English)
Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel
Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD
Betty MacDonald fan club items
Betty MacDonald fan club items - comments
Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I
Betty MacDonald fan club groups
Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund