Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Politics

Theresa May arrives in Strasbourg for last-ditch Brexit talks with Jean-Claude Juncker

European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier kisses Theresa May's hand as she arrives in Strasbourg (Picture: EPA)

Theresa May touched down in Strasbourg tonight for last-minute Brexit talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and other EU leaders.

The Prime Minister's meeting was confirmed by Downing Street on Monday evening.

It will be Mrs May's final throw of the dice ahead of Tuesday's Commons vote on her Withdrawal Agreement.

The talks with Mr Juncker will be one last opportunity to secure legal assurances on the Irish backstop - and in doing so secure the vital support of hardline Tory Brexiteers and the DUP.

British Prime Minster Theresa May and President of European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker (Getty Images)

Ministers in the Irish cabinet were also summoned to an emergency government meeting on Brexit.

Mrs May at the meeting in Strasbourg (REUTERS)

The Irish premier, Leo Varadkar, who was due to begin his journey to the US for St Patrick's Day, returned from Dublin airport and was brought back to government buildings for the cabinet briefing.

A government source confirmed the hastily-arranged meeting took place at 7pm on Monday night.

Brexit: What will happen in this week's crucial votes?

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliment's Brexit coordinator, confirmed he and EP president Antonio Tajani will also meet Theresa May tonight.

He tweeted: "Meeting with @theresa-may & @EP-President tonight. I hope progress can be made, if it is possible, as a no deal £Brexit would be a catastrophe. We will stand by Ireland & the need to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement."

One of those Tory Brexiteers, Iain Duncan Smith, responded to the news by telling the BBC "I think they are reaching the point where they are about to have some kind of agreement".

However, he added his support - and that of the influential European Research Group - would be dependent on the verdict of its "group of legal people" which will pore over any proposal coming out of Strasbourg.

A statement to the Commons by Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay has been put back to about 10pm as a result of Mrs May's talks.

The negotiations are a boost for Number 10 after Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, said earlier on Monday there would be no more high-level backstop talks.

Mrs May leaves Downing Street on Monday ahead of the talks in Strasbourg (Simon Dawson/Reuters)

Mr Barnier had claimed the only talks that mattered were “between the Government in London and the Parliament in London”.

Mrs May had earlier ducked a demand from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to update the House of Commons on the progress of negotiations, sending Brexit minister Robin Walker to respond to his urgent question in her place.

If her deal is defeated on Tuesday, MPs will then vote on Wednesday whether to support a no-deal Brexit.

If a no-deal Brexit is rejected, members will get a vote on Thursday on requesting an extension to Article 50 and delaying EU withdrawal.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.