British PM Theresa May says wants to see EU respond to new tone on Brexit talks

Speaking to Reuters in Estonia, May said she had tried to give fresh momentum to the troubled divorce negotiations with her speech that set out a more detailed approach to Britain’s departure from the European Union. (Reuters)

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday she wanted to see European Union negotiators respond in kind to her proposals set out in Florence last week that sought to unlock the Brexit talks.

Speaking to Reuters in Estonia, May said she had tried to give fresh momentum to the troubled divorce negotiations with her speech that set out a more detailed approach to Britain’s departure from the European Union. She said she had seen signs to suggest it had broken the deadlock.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said on Thursday the latest round of Brexit talks had made more progress, but not enough to move to the next phase of discussions on a transition period. “I look for the speech that I set out … being reciprocated in proposals the EU will come forward with,” May said.