UK Prime Minister Theresa May has told her cabinet today that Brexit negotiation has to be reopened with the EU, to provide legal changes to the Irish backstop. Her spokesman said that “the prime minister said that in order to win the support of the House of Commons legal changes to the backstop will be required, that would mean reopening the Withdrawal Agreement”. And he added that “a vote of the Brady amendment makes it clear that the current nature of the backstop is the key reason that the House cannot support the deal.”
Also, May is expected to return to the Commons as soon as possible with a revised deal with the EU. If no deal could be reached by February 13, May will make a statement to the House that day, and table an amendable motion for debate the follow day.
As for today, a so called Malthouse Compromise emerged which has support from heavy weight Brexiteers, Remainers as well as Northern Ireland DUP. But EU was quick to dismiss it. EU’s deputy chief negotiator, Sabine Weyand, had said technology to avoid a hard border does not exist.
