British PM will return to EU to discuss Irish backstop

[LONDON] British Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday she plans to return to Brussels to discuss changes to the deal she agreed with EU leaders last month, despite an overwhelming rejection of the draft text by MPs last week.

"I believe we can make progress" on the so-called Irish backstop, she told parliament, adding that she would be consulting with MPs about possible changes and "then take the conclusions of those discussions back to the EU".

The British leader was outlining  Plan B of her European Union divorce deal to parliament.

She promised  to be more open with parliament in negotiating the future relationship with the EU and to ease the concerns of lawmakers over the divorce deal to win their agreement.

Highlighting three changes to her Brexit approach, Mrs May told parliament she would be "more flexible", implement a demand from opposition Labour on guaranteeing workers' rights and would find a way to calm nerves over a commitment to no return to a hard border on the island of Ireland.

"In doing so we will honour the mandate of the British people and leave the European Union in a way which benefits every part of our United Kingdom and every citizen of our country," she said.

AFP,Reuters