May Promises Britain Will Never Desert Its Security Jobs

Was it something she said? Theresa May is shunted to the back of the EU leaders' line-up as Juncker claims it will take 'miracles' for a Brexit trade breakthrough....
An isolated Theresa May was left stuck at the back of the EU's family photo today after Jean-Claude Juncker warned starting trade talks on time would need 'miracles'.

The Prime Minister arrived in Estonia for an informal summit with a promise of security cooperation and a planned meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after her Florence speech.

But European Commission president Mr Juncker slapped down Britain's latest offers just days after council chief Donald Tusk struck a more positive note.

Mrs May was in the back row, two behind Mr Juncker, and in corner - as far as possible from Mrs Merkel at the front of the picture.

The new clash came as EU leaders gathered in Estonia for an informal meeting ahead of a crucial summit on October 19-20.

Britain is desperate for agreement at the meeting in three weeks that 'sufficient progress' has been made on the Brexit divorce to allow talks on trade to begin.

But as he arrived at the meeting in Tallinn, Mr Juncker said: 'I'm saying there will be no sufficient progress from now until October unless miracles will happen.'

This morning at Estonia's Tapa base near the Russian border, Mrs May made a new 'unconditional' offer on Britain's security role after Brexit.

Mrs May met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at today's gathering as she works to try and break the deadlock.

No 10 said Mrs Merkel had 'welcomed' the PM's major Brexit speech in Florence.

As she arrived in Tallinn, Mrs May insisted there had been 'very good progress' on the rights of EU expatriates - one of three key issues Brussels wants resolved before trade talks begin.
'In my Florence speech I set out very clearly how we could ensure that the rights of those EU citizens were guaranteed in the UK,' Mrs May told reporters outside the EU meeting.

'That has been part of the negotiations that we've had, very good progress has been made, that was made clear by the statements made by David Davis and Michel Barnier made yesterday.'

Following the meeting between Mrs May and Mrs Merkel, a No 10 spokesman said: 'Chancellor Merkel welcomed the speech, and noted the good progress that had been made in negotiations this week. She looked forward to the next round of talks in early October.

'The Prime Minister and the Chancellor both agreed on the importance of settling the issue of citizens' rights at the earliest opportunity.

'The PM pointed to the commitment made in her Florence speech to incorporate the agreement reached on citizens' rights fully into UK law and make sure the UK courts can refer directly to it.

'The PM also stressed it was in everybody's interests to agree to a time-limited implementation period once Britain leaves the EU, to provide certainty to businesses and others in both Britain and the EU.'