Salzburg Summit: what happened with Theresa May and Brexit?

THERESA May has demanded respect from the EU and slammed their behaviour as “unacceptable” after her Chequers plan was mauled in Salzburg.

In a hastily-arranged event inside Number 10 this afternoon, a defiant display from the Prime Minister saw her hit back after yesterday's summit.

She appeared live in the State Dining Hall at her official residence after returning from an ambush at a supposedly "informal" meeting in Austria.

Having hoped to secure agreement on her proposals to move the negotiations forward, they were instead criticised by a number of the remaining 27 nations.

The European Council President Donald Tusk ripped up Mrs May's blueprint, saying it risked the integrity of the EU single market and the Northern Ireland border.

And key figures including Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron also said significant progress was needed by the European Council summit on October 18 if agreement on the UK's withdrawal deal was to be reached.

So following the criticism she said: “Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect.

“The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.

“At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side’s proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals.

“So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them.

“Until we do, we cannot make progress.”

Yesterday's attacks prompted Brexiteers MPs to boast that Chequers is “officially dead”, and had put the PM in a difficult position ahead of the Tory party conference next week.

She had been due to head straight home to Sonning after flying back into the UK this morning, but instead headed to Downing Street.

It prompted speculation Mrs May wanted to set the record straight after the disastrous headlines following the Salzburg meeting.

And she did so with a stern, sometimes angry display today, blasting the EU for only offering the UK two options, neither of which are acceptable to her.

She said “while both sides want a deal” there are still “two big issues where we remain a long way apart”.

The first option would involve the UK staying in EEA and having customs union with the EU, adding: “In plain English we would still have to abide by all the EU rules”.

The PM said by having to keep open door immigration, and stopping us from signing new trade deals around the world, it “would make a mockery of the referendum”.

And she added that the second option – a basic free trade agreement – would mean Northern Ireland effectively staying in the customs union.

It would leave the province “permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea”.

Mrs May added: “It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to.

"If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake…"

Continue reading:

Sun Subscribers get the latest breaking news and videos directly to their feed. SUBSCRIBE NOW and hit the bell to be the first in the know.

[stuh]

EU's taking the michael out of us brits. If we are so un-important why are they making it so difficult to leave. Lets keep our 39billion and take our chances.

[amex]

It just shows the EU has no concern for working Families that have mortgages and bills to pay they would rather sacrifice there jobs over the non Democratic power of Brussels ....

[abamahmud]

Out, no deal, i did vote out, out mean out

[LeeRaldar]

The European project is like getting chewing gum out of your hair.

[evolassunglasses]

May was and is a Remainer, she NEVER believed in it. / Free Movement SANK Remain with the working class, both Left and Right will NEVER NEVER vote for an OVER supply of cheap labour.

[brucemaclennan]

She was offered a cake but told  "no cherries".  She should have offered them a cake and said "no hundreds-and-thousands".

[pnnuwakeu]

we need to leave nothing to do with race or where u from whats the worst that can happen we line they re pockets for years

[djnormalnorman]

The French gave plenty of ground to the Germans in the war

[teedee]

As a Northern Irish person, I say do not let the Irish border get in the way of a good deal with the EU. If a hard border must be implemented for one, then so be it

[AbCdEfGhIjKlMnO]

What happened to England? It was such a lovely place to grow up in and suddenly changed. Health care declined, education, you name it. I travelled the entire UK and it was a lovely place. About 20 years ago it went feral, something went drastically wrong.
I married an American girl and moved to Florida. It's great here, we are happy, affluent and feel socially secure.
I go back to London and other places to visit family and friends. I hate having to do so. There's graffiti, litter, violence, poverty and worse. Get out now, as I did.
Last one out, please turn the light off!

[aynurskene]

They may just love the UK a long term settled partner and they just don't want her let go easily

[AndrewKFletcher]

Time to ban the EU from fishing in our waters me thinks. Something fishy going on overseas!

[oskabravo]

Donald Tusk reminds me of the evil emperor from star wars ...just missing the cloak

[slobiden.]

This is why you should never have a childless unmarried leader in the government.

[realperson]

Britain's Theresa May - "Britain's"?!

[drastelne]

With the deadline fast approaching, isn't it just a fantastic idea to reject the only deal put on the table and not propose an alternative?

[MarlonKingShow]

The uk is not weak. May must stand her ground, if we don’t get what is right for the country staying in a half baked deal is worse than no deal. The parties need to learn to pull together and work towards the objective at hand. There is enough of them to have this sorted by now.

[Creepy]

It now or never we either leave or stay and make this whole Brexit all for nothing. And we need to find a agreement to keep Ireland together

[coffeegoblin]

Cometh the hour, cometh the Farage...

[benpar]

May freezes the talks = She's run out of ideas despite being told by the EU that her Chequers plan is not workable a few weeks ago!!