British Prime Minister Theresa May is preparing to compromise with the European Union over the future of Irelandˈs border, with just two weeks left to save her Brexit deal.
UK Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay privately told the EUˈs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, on Monday that Britain doesnˈt need to reopen the divorce agreement, according to a person familiar with the talks.
The UK government had no immediate comment.
The stance risks angering euroskeptics in Mayˈs Conservative Party, who want her to demand a full-scale re-write of the Brexit accord to strip out the so-called backstop plan for avoiding a hard border with Ireland.
Read more: UK Parliament throws out Mayˈs plan to renegotiate Brexit deal
These pro-Brexit Tories are now a major obstacle to Mayˈs hopes of striking a new deal in Brussels and then getting it approved in Parliament in London.
On Thursday, members of this pro-Brexit caucus of Conservatives inflicted another embarrassing parliamentary defeat on the premier after they refused to endorse her approach to resolving the deadlock.
Privately, one senior member of Mayˈs administration conceded she probably has two weeks to save her deal before the House of Commons takes control over the process out of her hands.
"Another day of failed politics, another day closer to no deal chaos," Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the UKˈs business lobby, the Confederation of British Industry, said on Twitter.
"Politicians must find a deal that protects our economy. Failure would be unforgivable."
Read also: May seeks more time to find Brexit deal, tells lawmakers - Hold your nerve
Thursdayˈs vote is not binding on the government, but the motion was an attempt by May to buy more time to secure concessions from the EU.
Her aides fear the defeat will undermine her negotiations as sheˈs now effectively lost her political mandate to demand changes to the divorce terms in Brussels.
"Tonightˈs vote shows there is no majority for the prime ministerˈs course of action," opposition Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn said after the result was announced.
"She cannot keep on just running down the clock and hoping that something will turn up."
