UK PM to talk with every EU leader
British Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday vowed to speak to every EU member state leader "over the coming days", as she wrote to Conservative MPs to appeal for unity over Brexit.
In the letter to her fractious colleagues, excerpts of which were released by Downing Street late Saturday, May urged the party to "move beyond what divides us".
The embattled British leader said ruling Tories need to sacrifice "personal preferences" for the "higher service of the national interest".
The plea came after May this week suffered another parliamentary defeat over Brexit, suggesting a shortlived period of party unity over reforming her draft EU divorce deal may not survive.
On Thursday night, MPs rejected a motion expressing support for May's efforts to seek changes to her under-fire agreement, after members of her own Conservative party abstained.
In her letter to lawmakers Saturday, the prime minister called the vote "disappointing" but insisted she would keep seeking to secure changes to the so-called backstop arrangement in the deal.
Her office revealed she planned "to speak to the leader of every EU member state in the coming days".
May confirmed she would return to Brussels next week for further talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but its parliament last month rejected a draft divorce deal May negotiated with the bloc, prompting fears the country could crash out without a deal next month.
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