Brexit news latest: EU prepared to extend transition period as Theresa May 'convinced' she can cut a 'good deal'
Theresa May faced a fierce backlash on Thursday after admitting she could delay the UK’s final departure from the bloc until almost 2022.
Shortly before the Prime Minster gave a news conference in Brussels, European Commission president Jean-Claude Junker said an extension to the transition period "probably will happen".
"This is giving us some room to prepare the future relations in the best way possible," he said.
He added: "My working assumption is not that we will have a no-deal. A no-deal will be dangerous for Britain and for the European Union."
Speaking in the Belgian capital, Mrs May said she is still “convinced” she will be able to secure a “good deal” with the EU, although she admitted there will be “difficult moments” ahead.
Referring to a potential extension of the transition period, Mrs May said: "This is an idea that has been around before. I have been asked about the potential for an extension in the House of Commons previously.
"I have always been very clear that we negotiated an implementation period with the EU, and we negotiated that implementation period would end at the end of December 2020.
"What has now emerged is the idea that an option to extend the implementation period could be a further solution to this issue of the backstop in Northern Ireland.
"What we are not doing, we are not standing here proposing an extension to the implementation period.
"What we are doing is working to ensure that we have a solution to the backstop issue in Northern Ireland... which is currently a blockage to completing the deal, that enables us to get on with completing the deal that delivers on the vote of the British people and is good for the future of the UK."
She also insisted there was still time to cut a deal, stating: "What I have had from leaders around the table over the last hours... since I arrived here in Brussels yesterday, is a very real sense that people want that deal to be done.
Read More
"And I think if you look at some of the comments that have been made, Chancellor Merkel said where there is a will there's normally a way.
"Jean-Claude Juncker said let's focus on the large areas of agreement and it will be done.
"So, there is a real sense. So, what we're doing is working to ensure that we can do this deal within that reasonable timetable.
