Theresa May pens open letter to Britons lauding Brexit deal
What's the story
British Prime Minister Theresa May has written a "letter to the nation" vowing to campaign with "heart and soul" for her Brexit deal once EU leaders sign off on it this weekend.
May, who hopes to seal the divorce agreement and outline of future ties with Europe at a Brussels summit today, faces a daunting challenge in winning the support of Britain's Parliament.
Twitter Post
My letter to the nation, tweeted Theresa May
My letter to the nation. #BackTheBrexitDeal pic.twitter.com/VGzNeeXoqg
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) November 24, 2018
Assurance
Agreement would 'honor the result' of 2016 referendum, insists May
The Sunday Telegraph reported that members of May's own cabinet and EU diplomats are secretly working on "Plan B" proposals, fearing lawmakers will reject the current deal.
But in the letter published in several newspapers, May insisted her agreement would "honor the result" of the 2016 referendum - when 52% backed Leave the EU - and be "a moment of renewal and reconciliation".
Defense
It is a deal for a brighter future: May
"It'll be a deal that is in our national interest, one that works for our whole country and all of our people, whether you voted 'Leave' or 'Remain'," PM May wrote yesterday.
She further said, "It's a deal for a brighter future."
Reiterating Britain would be leaving the European Union on March 29 next year, May urged people to get behind the deal.
Promises
'I'll be campaigning with my heart, soul to win vote'
In her letter, May, serving as PM since 2016, said, "Parliament will have the chance to seize the opportunities in a few weeks' time when it has a meaningful vote on the deal."
"I'll be campaigning with my heart and soul to win that vote and to deliver this Brexit deal, for the good of our United Kingdom and all our people," she assured.
Struggles
Allies unsure about deal, Opposition vow to vote against it
May is struggling even to unite her ruling Conservatives, and Northern Irish parliamentary allies, the Democratic Unionist Party, behind the plan.
Meanwhile, opposition parties including Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and the Scottish Nationalists, have all vowed to vote against it.
According to the Sunday Telegraph report, several senior ministers are now plotting the parameters of a Norway-style relationship with Brussels.
Information
Senior EU figures war-gaming for second referendum: Telegraph report
The London-headquartered newspaper further said that senior EU figures are "war-gaming" on how the bloc could extend Article 50 - the mechanism used to leave the bloc next March - to allow for various scenarios. Among them is also a possible second referendum.
Response
False to claim there are only two options: Labour MP
Responding to May's letter, Labour MP Stephen Doughty said it was "completely false" to claim the only options were her agreement or no deal.
"By rejecting this deal, Parliament can give the public a real choice in a people's vote between leaving the EU on these terms or sticking with the deal we have got inside the EU," he added.