An important intervention

Theresa May will try to lift the tempo of the Brexit negotiations with a speech in late September.

Largely quiet since returning from her summer break, the British prime minister will use the address to explain how a raft of position papers recently published by the government offers a vision of a “deep and special partnership” with the European Union. She will make the case for non-stop talks aimed at paving the way for a long-term trade deal.

The European Parliament’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, appeared to give the date away on Monday when explaining to lawmakers in Brussels why the next round of talks could be pushed back a week.

“Apparently there will be an important intervention by the British prime minister in the coming days, foreseen on Sept. 21, and then it’s a little bit stupid that there is this mixed with the negotiation round.”

The U.K. refused to confirm the delay in negotiations and an official said the Belgian politician was wrong on the date.

But the speech will see May reflect on the U.K.’s position, eight months after she first set out her Brexit vision. Since then a botched election has sapped her of authority and emboldened others in her Cabinet to shape the Brexit strategy.

Ministers now say the U.K. is open to working indirectly with the European Court of Justice and publicly acknowledge that an exit bill will be paid. A transitional deal is now favored, perhaps featuring ongoing membership of the customs union, and there is less talk about bespoke trade deals.

Still, there is virtually no movement on how large the financial settlement should be despite three sessions of negotiations. The stakes are high for the U.K. and May needs a breakthrough more than the EU does. She still hopes to turn the conversation to trade in October and the clock ticks down to Brexit day on March 29, 2019.

— Simon Kennedy

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