Theresa May reveals she is not sad about the UK leaving the EU
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EU leaders have challenged MPs to either back Theresa May’s Brexit deal or face up to the economic consequences of crashing out of the bloc.
Heads of its 27 member states took little more than half an hour this morning to rubber-stamp the agreement setting the terms for Britain's departure.
However, the deal now faces a vote in the House of Commons, where the odds appear stacked against it as MPs of all stripes, including a significant portion of the prime minister’s own party, have made their opposition clear.
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Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, warned them the agreement was the “only deal possible” and hopes that a better one could be struck were in vain.
“Those who think by rejecting the deal that they would have a better deal will be disappointed in the first seconds after the rejection of this deal,” he said.
In a veiled plea to MPs Michel Barnier, Europe’s chief negotiator, called on “everyone to face up to their responsibilities”.
Mr Barnier said the deal with the UK was a "necessary step" to advance to the next phase of the negotiations.
"I have worked with my team and negotiated with the UK, never against the UK," he told reporters as he arrived for the summit.
"Now it is time for everybody to take their responsibility. This deal is a necessary step to build the trust between the UK and the EU we need to build.
"The next phase is an unprecedented and ambitious partnership. We will remain allies, partners and friends."
Communities Secretary James Brokenshire told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday that MPs should back the deal when it comes before the Commons or risk taking the UK "back to square one".
It's for MPs now, of course, to scrutinise this properly but if that does not happen then, effectively, you will be back to square one with more uncertainty, more division.
"It is important for people to get behind the Prime Minister, get behind the deal that we see being approved today, allowing us to move forward as a country on to all of those things that the British people want us to do, all of the domestic priorities.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he was "absolutely confident that Theresa May has everything now on the table to argue for a majority in the British parliament".
I don't want to contemplate the no-vote, I think there will be a yes vote. But more in general, I think this is the max we can all do. Both Theresa May and her government, as well as the European Union.
(There are) no victors here today, nobody winning. We are all losing. But given that context this is acceptable.
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has warned Britain cannot expect to get a better deal if Parliament rejects the agreement hammered out by Theresa May.
"This is the deal. It's the best deal possible and the EU will not change its fundamental position when it comes to these issues," he said.
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