The European Commission said on Thursday that there was still ‘no white smoke’ on a Brexit deal and set a limit of Sunday for British Prime Minister Theresa May to return to Brussels with an acceptable deal.
“So far no white smoke. We stand ready to receive Prime Minister May at any moment in time when they are ready,” Margaritis Schinas, chief spokesman for commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, told reporters in Brussels. The Vatican sends up white smoke when a new pope is chosen.
“But I would like to repeat what President Juncker said on this, namely that this will have to happen this week, in this building. We work for a full week, 24/7, and our week includes Sunday.”
Talks between May and Juncker broke up on Monday without a deal after a pro-British party in Northern Ireland that props up the British leader’s government objected to a clause about future arrangements for the Irish border.