'No other deal, but we can review future relationship'
Brexit is well covered in news everywhere. In France there鈥檚 interest in an interview with the EU鈥檚 chief negotiator in which he said the Brexit deal voted down by MPs last week is the 鈥渙nly one possible鈥� 鈥� but that there may be room for changes on plans for the 鈥榝uture UK/EU relationship鈥�.
Michel Barnier makes the point today in an interview with Le Monde and it comes amid a lot of French coverage of a potential no-deal, including complications for travellers and businesses.
On Monday MPs voted down both the withdrawal agreement negotiated by the UK and EU and an accompanying 鈥榩olitical declaration鈥� setting out objectives for future trade links and other cooperation between the two parties.
If there is a deal, the latter would be firmed up during a transition period until the end of next year.
However Mr Barnier told Le Monde: 鈥淭he treaty [withdrawal agreement] can still be supported if we put it into perspective鈥� We are ready to rework the political declaration to make it more ambitious. From listening to the debates held so far across the Channel, there seems to be a will to find a way.鈥�
However he warned that if the UK government and MPs remain inflexible a no-deal Brexit will happen 鈥渕echanically鈥�.
On Monday UK Prime Minister Theresa may put forward a 鈥楶lan B鈥� after the rejection of the deal, that consisted of asking the EU for some 鈥榯weaks鈥� to the so-called Northern Ireland backstop (which forms part of the withdrawal agreement). MPs now have a few more days to put forward proposed amendments to this plan before a vote on it on Tuesday next week.
