Brexit talks were mired in a bitter standoff today with Theresa May and the EU flatly refusing to make more concessions.
The Prime Minister has sent a stark message to Brussels that the ‘ball is in your court’ as the latest round of negotiations gets under way.
But Eurocrats immediately hit back by insisting that the ‘ball is entirely in the UK court’.
Meanwhile, Brexit Secretary David Davis has been accused of being a ‘part time negotiator’ after it emerged he is not travelling to Belgium for the start of talks today. Aides said the discussion would be ‘technical’ and he is expected to travel tomorrow.
Mrs May is signalling a tougher approach as pressure grows on Tory benches for Britain to defy demands to give ground on money and citizens’ rights.
Delivering a statement to MPs, Mrs May will attempt to move on from her cursed Conservative conference – which was followed by a half-hearted coup attempt.
The premier will dismiss the prospect of the UK making any other major concession before a crucial EU summit next week to decide whether talks can move on to discuss future trade arrangements.
The Prime Minister, pictured going to church in her Maidenhead constituency yesterday, is signalling a tougher approach as pressure grows on Tory benches for Britain to defy Brussels’ demands on money and citizens’ rights
But she will insist the government can secure a deal to prove the Brexit ‘doomsayers’ wrong.
The bullish stance comes as the negotiation teams from the UK and EU renew battle in Brussels this afternoon.
European leaders are set to decide next week whether sufficient progress has been made in the first phase to move on to talks on trade and a potential ‘implementation period’ for the new arrangements.
But the prospects of getting the green light appear very slim.
EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has said it will take ‘miracles’, while the European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a motion last week saying more needed to be done.
A Danish minister today warned the EU against playing ‘games’ by blocking trade talks, saying it was not ‘rocket science’ to strike an agreement between the two sides.
Kristian Jensen told the Guardian: ‘In any political negotiations, there is not enough time, not enough money, not enough this, not enough that.
‘This is part of the game. Because what we are dealing with here is not rocket science.
‘We are not speaking about putting a man on Mars or solving the problem of CO2 emissions.
‘We are now on the same page … In my view it is rather important we get into a more close and more speedy process on concluding some of the issues.’
Meanwhile, senior Tory backbencher Bernard Jenkin urged Mrs May to ‘dig’ in and defy the EU.
‘They are just stringing us along and there comes a point when you have to dig in,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Mrs May will appear before MPs to update them on her speech in Florence, which made significant concessions in a bid to secure a breakthrough.
She will say: ‘A new, deep and special partnership between a sovereign United Kingdom and a strong and successful European Union is our ambition and our offer to our European friends.
‘Achieving that partnership will require leadership and flexibility, not just from us but from our friends, the 27 nations of the EU.
‘And as we look forward to the next stage, the ball is in their court. But I am optimistic we will receive a positive response.
The negotiation teams from the UK and EU, led by David Davis (left) and Michel Barnier, are renewing battle in Brussels this afternoon.
The negotiations are entering the fifth round, with a decision due on whether they can progress to issues of future trade
‘Because what we are seeking is not just the best possible deal for us – but also the best possible deal for our European friends too.’
She will acknowledge that ‘progress will not always be smooth’ but will seek to strike a positive note about the Brexit process.
‘By approaching these negotiations in a constructive way – in a spirit of friendship and co-operation and with our sights firmly set on the future – I believe we can prove the doomsayers wrong,’ she will say.
‘I believe we can seize the opportunities of this defining moment in the history of our nation.’
The Prime Minister will also attempt to reassure business leaders that the Brexit process is on track as she hosts a meeting with leading industry figures on Monday.
She will be joined by senior colleagues including Chancellor Philip Hammond and Brexit Secretary David Davis at the meeting in Downing Street
Representatives from firms including Aston Martin, HSBC, Morgan Stanley and Vodafone will be among those attending the meeting of the Business Advisory Council.
The meeting follows warnings from RBS chairman Sir Howard Davies that the damage to the City from Brexit is ‘going to be quite considerable over time’.
And it comes as the British Retail Consortium warns that consumers could face rising prices and slower deliveries unless non-graduate EU migrants are able to continue working in the sector after Brexit.
EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has said it would take ‘miracles’ for the talks to progress to cover trade this month