Brexit: EU negotiator and Council chief tell Theresa May deal is not open for renegotiation
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Your support makes all the difference.The EU's chief Brexit negotiator told Theresa May time was too short to find an alternative to the Irish border arrangement agreed in their Brexit deal and said the divorce deal was not open for renegotiation.
Michel Barnier told France's RTL radio the two-year divorce negotiations had looked for an alternative to the "Irish backstop", designed to ensure the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland remains free of border posts.
"No one, on either side, was able to say what arrangement would be needed to ensure controls on goods, animals and merchandise without having a border," Mr Barnier said. "We have neither the time, nor the technologies."
After a relatively successful night for Ms May during which the government defeated a number of attempts by MPs to secure control of the Brexit process, she will now have the Herculean task of convincing EU leaders to reopen talks.
MPs approved an amendment tabled by Sir Graham Brady by 317 votes to 301 to accept Ms May’s Brexit deal as long as an alternative to the backstop could be found.
But the response from Europe was united and blunt.
"The Withdrawal Agreement is not open for renegotiation," European Council president Donald Tusk tweeted in what he said was a message to Ms May.
"Yesterday, we found out what the UK doesn't want. But we still don't know what the UK does want."
Jeremy Corbyn has said Labour MPs who defied the whip in yesterday’s votes “will be dealt with”, as he holds talks with Ms May on how the Brexit negotiations should move forward.
Mr Corbyn met with the prime minister to discuss how a conensus could be reached on the Brexit negotiations only weeks after he had rejected Ms May’s initial invitiation.
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Mr Corbyn's follow up question asks the prime minister which of red lines she was willing to negotiate on.
No response from Theresa May on that one - but she criticises Jeremy Corbyn for not giving way to his own backbencher, Angela Smith, during yesterday's debate.
Theresa May asks Jeremy Corbyn if Labour will support a revised deal.
The Labour leader says it's time for the prime minister to move away from her red lines.
Ms May finishes up PMQs by noting that Mr Corbyn had refused to meet her for weeks.
She says the Labour leader's proposals were rejected by the Commons and he has still not ruled out having a second referendum.
"No plan for Brexit, no good plan for our economy and no plan for our country," Ms May says.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford asks Theresa May whether "no alternative deal exists" like she said two weeks ago, or if she can renegotiate a new deal, like she mentioned yesterday.
Ms May responds by saying the House of Commons rejected the deal - so she has to go back to Brussels.
The prime minister confirms the government's commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and calls Ian Blackford irresponsible for questioning it during yesterday's debate.
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