UK PM makes no change to demands in talks with EU

• Former British PM Major urges May to drop red lines
• Merkel says all have responsibility to avoid chaos

British Prime Minister Theresa May made no change to her demands in talks with European Union leaders despite her Brexit plan being defeated by British lawmakers earlier this week, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Friday.

May's demands continued to focus around either a legally binding time-limit for the Irish 'backstop'; a right for Britain to unilaterally withdraw, or a commitment to a trade deal finalisation before 2021 to prevent the backstop from coming into force, the report said, citing unnamed EU diplomatic sources.

The backstop is an insurance policy designed to prevent the return of border checks on the frontier between EU-member Ireland and Northern Ireland.

May repeated her demands in talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Irish leader Leo Varadkar, the paper reported.

May's deal for Britain to leave the EU was defeated earlier this week by 230 votes.

However, Merkel yesterday said she would do all she could to make sure Britain leaves the European Union with an agreement and, striking a conciliatory tone, she felt a responsibility to get an orderly solution.

She said even after Brexit, Britain should be an important partner.

Meanwhile, former British PM John Major yesterday urged Theresa May to drop her "red lines" on Brexit or allow parliament to find a way forward to avoid a damaging no-deal departure from the EU  in March.

Major said he compromised on key decisions on the Northern Irish peace process and the first Gulf War while prime minister between 1990 and 1997, and May should do the same after her Brexit plan was rejected by a huge majority in parliament.

May is due to tell parliament on Monday how she intends to proceed on Brexit. Lawmakers may then propose alternatives to see if any could command majority support.