Brexit breakthrough possible within days, says UK minister

Britain’s finance minister Philip Hammond said yesterday there had been “some movement” by the European Union that could lead to a breakthrough in Brexit talks in “the next few days”. Hammond said progress in the ongoing negotiations could result in a fresh vote next week on prime minister Theresa May’s EU divorce deal, which was rejected by lawmakers last month.

“There may be an opportunity to bring a vote back to the House of Commons,” he told the BBC. “But that will depend on progress that’s made over the next few days. These discussions are ongoing.” May and the other 27 EU leaders approved a Brexit withdrawal agreement at a summit on November 25 last year, but the British parliament voted against it overwhelmingly on January 15.

Since then, she and her ministers have repeatedly urged EU leaders and their negotiator Michel Barnier to revise a “backstop” clause in the text on the Irish border that is hated by eurosceptic MPs.