British Prime Minister Theresa May will try to rescue stalled Brexit talks on Friday and set out a vision for future ties in a speech in the Italian city of Florence she hopes will convince the European Union she is ready to cut a fair divorce deal.
Europe's capitals and boardrooms will be watching to see if May can offer enough to EU negotiators to persuade them to move talks forward, without angering eurosceptics in Britain who have the power to destabilise her minority government.
Britain is scheduled to leave the EU in March 2019 after a shock referendum result that has triggered more than a year of political turmoil, put business leaders on edge and sent sterling plunging.
The most complex set of European negotiations since the end of World War Two have pitted London against Brussels over how to unravel over 40 years of economic and political integration.
After three rancorous months of negotiations, May, leader of the world's fifth largest economy, will try to break the impasse over one of the most symbolically important questions: how much will it cost Britain, in hard cash, to end its EU membership?
"The UK's departure from the EU is inevitably a difficult process; it is in all of our interests for our negotiations to succeed," May will say in a speech at around 1315 GMT, according to advance extracts.
"The eyes of the world are on us but if we can be imaginative and creative about the way we establish this new relationship..., I believe we can be optimistic about the future we can build for the United Kingdom and for the European Union."
Speaking in Florence's Santa Maria Novella church, May hopes to appeal directly to EU leaders and use the backdrop of a city made wealthy by trade and banking during the Renaissance to underline her wish for Britain to become a major trading power on its own.
But she will also face a small group of protesters outside the 14th century basilica, with Britons living in the Tuscan city saying they want guarantees that their rights will be protected when Britain leaves the bloc.
FRUSTRATION
Britain has expressed frustration at the EU's demand for progress on the exit bill it must pay - if not an exact amount - before talks can move on, with British ministers keen to start negotiating the terms of its new relationship with the bloc.
Brussels has recoiled at Britain's approach, criticising a lack of detail and policy direction.
The BBC reported that May would say Britain is willing to pay 20 billion euros ($24 billion) to the EU during a post-Brexit transition period, but only if it has access to the bloc's single market.
But her transport minister, Chris Grayling, said the speech was not about specific details that would be dealt with during the negotiation but rather driven by May's wish to set out the principles of future links with the EU.
Asked whether Britain will offer a financial settlement to the EU in the speech, Grayling told the BBC: "We are a nation that meets its obligations."
May's office said she would detail her plan for a "time-limited implementation period" - something the government has previously said it thinks is needed to allay business concerns about the exit - but gave no further details.
The EU's chief negotiator said May needed to make a firm offer on pivotal issues, including the Brexit bill, before the start of the next round of negotiations next week.
"To make progress, we are waiting for clear commitments from the UK on these precise issues," Michel Barnier said.
May's speech comes at the start of a crucial week for Europe.
On Sunday, German voters are expected to return conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel to power but also vault eurosceptic parties into parliament, including the Alternative for Germany (AfD) whose nationalist, anti-immigrant ideas echo those of Britain's UKIP party, a driving force behind Brexit.
Two days later, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to flesh out his ideas for a "relaunch" of the EU and euro zone, underscoring the bloc's determination to press ahead with a closer union that excludes the UK.
HAMSTRUNG
May's leadership has been hamstrung by the June general election she called to win a mandate for her Brexit strategy but which went badly wrong, costing her party its parliamentary majority and spawning a new debate about how to quit the EU.
On Thursday, May gave her ministers a sneak preview of the speech in her London office, hoping to reduce divisions among ministers who have been arguing over the nature of any transition agreement and how much to pay - a demand by the EU that some of her pro-Brexit members of parliament say is legally baseless.
Those present at Thursday's preview included foreign minister Boris Johnson, one of Britain's most high-profile pro-Brexit politicians and a one-time leadership contender.
Days earlier Johnson had stoked tension by laying out his own Brexit vision, challenging May's more cautious approach.
"The view among hardcore Brexiteers in parliament ... is that somehow we've allowed Brexit to go sour," said a Conservative Party source who asked not to be named.
"The pressure is on her now to show some semblance of authority and show she is driving this and she's going to have to try to show that she shares the Boris upbeat vision of Brexit."
Reuters
Fri Sep 22 2017
A demonstrator holds a poster ahead of a speech by Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May in Florence, Italy, September 22, 2017. REUTERS
Kenaikan indeks harga pengeluar dan prestasi dagangan Februari 2024
Dua indeks yang dikeluarkan DOSM untuk bulan Februari iaitu IHPR dan perdagangan menunjukkan prestasi baik. Apakah maknanya kepada ekonomi dan rakyat serta apakah cabaran mendatang?
Data & Statistik: prestasi Bursa Malaysia setakat 29 Mac 2024
Di bursa tempatan, Presiden Penyelidikan Ekuiti Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd, Thong Pak Leng, menasihatkan pelabur untuk kekal berwaspada dengan peluang belian semasa harga rendah.
Sandro Tonali terus terpalit dengan isu pertaruhan
Tonali didakwa telah melanggar peraturan FA E8 sebanyak 50 kali dengan membuat pertaruhan pada perlawanan antara 12 Ogos dan 12 Okt 2023.
AWANI Ringkas: Perginya Tokoh Wartawan Negara 2014
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Analisis FBM KLCI: Prestasi dan Jangkaan untuk Suku Kedua 2024
Imran Yassin Md Yusof, Ketua di MIDF Research, memberikan analisis mendalam mengenai prestasi pasaran saham untuk suku pertama tahun 2024 dan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhinya. Beliau menghuraikan sektor-sektor yang menunjukkan prestasi cemerlang serta sektor-sektor yang mengalami penurunan pada suku pertama ini. Imran juga memberikan jangkaan dan ramalan MIDF Research mengenai prestasi pasaran saham dan ekonomi untuk suku kedua dan seterusnya.
Data & Statistik: Prestasi ringgit setakat 29 Mac 2024
Ketua Ahli Ekonomi Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid berkata penggiat pasaran dilihat mengelak daripada ketidaktentuan menjelang pengumuman data PCE, dengan mata wang tempatan dan mata wang serantau lain pada umumnya lemah berbanding dolar AS.
Kandungan mudarat di media sosial meningkat ketara - SKMM
Kandungan memudaratkan itu termasuklah ucapan berbaur kebencian, scam, penjualan haram, perjudian dan berita palsu.
Data & statistik: Indeks harga pengeluar Malaysia meningkat 0.3% daripada -0.6%
Perangkawan Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin menjelaskan, pada asas bulanan, IHPR Pengeluaran Tempatan meningkat 0.7 peratus selepas penurunan 0.1 peratus pada bulan lepas.
Cukai ditangguh, MOF belum bentang RUU
Di sebalik keinginan masyarakat perniagaan untuk mendapatkan butiran mengenai Cukai Barang Bernilai Tinggi (HVGT), Kementerian Kewangan (MOF) tidak memperkenalkan rang undang-undang HVGT dalam sidang Parlimen semasa seperti yang dirancang pada asalnya.
Kisah Ramadan Tengku Zafrul: ‘Ride’ tengah malam dan moreh di Kampung Baru
Kesibukan sebagai menteri tidak halang Menteri Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri itu luang masa dengan rakan-rakannya.
Tidak realistik untuk runding semula protokol - Suruhanjaya Eropah
Badan eksekutif Kesatuan Eropah itu akan melancarkan prosedur pelanggaran bagi melindungi pasaran tunggal blok itu daripada risiko pencabulan protokol.
Pasca-Brexit: Kekurangan bekalan makanan dibimbangi di UK
Bermula 1 Jan, pengimport mesti membuat pengisytiharan kastam penuh mengenai barangan yang dibawa masuk ke UK dari EU atau negara lain.
Pemuda UMNO cadang pembentukan Kabinet Perang
Perdana Menteri boleh meletakkan jawatan atau menasihati Yang di-Pertuan Agong untuk membubarkan Parlimen jika tidak lagi mendapat majoriti.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Pasca-Brexit: Kesatuan Eropah tidak akan runding semula perjanjian asal
Kerajaan UK sebelum ini menyatakan, pemeriksaan sempadan yang dikenakan terhadap barangan dari Ireland Utara terbukti tidak dapat dilaksanakan.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Hubungan dengan EU: UK minta runding semula babitkan peraturan dagang
Protokol itu perlu ditulis semula kerana ia melemahkan proses perdamaian dan mempengaruhi kehidupan rakyat di Ireland Utara.
Pasca-Brexit: Parlimen Eropah akan sahkan perjanjian perdagangan
Rancangan asal EU bertujuan mengelak pembukaan sempadan antara Ireland dengan Ireland Utara menjadi pintu belakang bagi bekalan vaksin.
Nelayan Britain berdepan risiko hilang pendapatan susulan larangan eksport EU
Larangan itu dibuat selepas Britain meninggalkan EU pada 1 Januari lalu, yang mana hasil laut yang berkenaan perlu dibersihkan sebelum digunakan dan tidak boleh dijual kepada 27 ahli blok berkenaan.
Kalau tidak politik, kami nak main apa, Mak Yong, congkak? - Salahuddin Ayub
Pakatan Harapan (PH) akan terus berpolitik demi memastikan suara rakyat terus didengari meskipun ada desakan supaya sebarang bentuk politik dihentikan buat masa ini.