BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union official Donald Tusk says the bloc won’t renegotiate the Brexit deal with the U.K. government as he called a summit Thursday to examine ways to help Britain ratify the deal.
Tusk, the president of the European Council, tweeted that “we will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate U.K. ratification.”
He said that “as time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario.”
EU leaders were already scheduled to meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday to discuss migration and the bloc’s future long-term budget, among other issues.
A key member of the European parliament’s Brexit team says that British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit strategy has turned into “a game of hide and seek” which will fail to force the EU to renegotiate the U.K. withdrawal deal.
Green MEP Philippe Lamberts told The Associated Press that, despite May’s claim to seek additional reassurances to the U.K. deal with the EU that has been already struck, there would be no changes awaiting her at Thursday’s EU summit.
Lamberts said that “we are fully behind negotiator Michel Barnier but he has been very clear: if you want Brexit, the deal is on the table and there will be no other deal.”
Apart from EU member states, the European Parliament also needs to approve the U.K. withdrawal deal.
British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has challenged Prime Minster Theresa May’s decision to delay a vote on Brexit in the House of Commons, arguing that her government is in “complete disarray.”
Labour lawmakers shouted “Resign! Resign!′ as May wrapped up her remarks Monday, adding further insult to the humiliation of failing to deliver on her signature piece of legislation, the Brexit divorce deal from the European Union.
Corbyn described the situation as unprecedented and serious. He says “the government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray.”
Even members of May’s own party were quick to further criticize the way she’s handled the negotiations.
Conservative Party lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg sharply rejected May’s “undeliverable deal,” saying it risked paving the way for a Labour Party government led by Corbyn.
