Theresa May has begun a round of calls with European leaders as she tries to find a compromise on Brexit that she can sell to the British Parliament, where cross-party talks have faltered.

  • May speaks to Angela Merkel, Mark Rutte, with more calls planned
  • Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson warns against delaying Brexit
  • May is consulting cabinet ministers individually and in small groups

May to Discuss Brexit With EU’s Juncker (12:15 p.m.)

May will hold discussions with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as part of her round of calls this afternoon, according to his spokesman, Margaritas Schinas. The call is at the request of the prime minister.

“I don’t know how decisive this will or will not be,” Schinas said.

May Speaks to Merkel, Rutte and Plans More Calls (11:30 a.m.)

May has started the process of trying to persuade European Union leaders to give her a better deal that will win the support of Parliament. May spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Thursday, the premier’s spokesman Alison Donnelly told reporters. The conversation with Merkel was “constructive,” as always, Donnelly added, and further phone calls with EU leaders can be expected over the weekend.

May’s other task—to find a consensus in London—continues. She’s holding meetings with members of her Cabinet on Friday, in small groups and individually. So far, conversations with opposition politicians have failed to yield any fruit, while Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn is refusing to engage with May unless she rules out a no-deal Brexit, something she says she won’t do.

Johnson: Delaying Article 50 Would Betray Voters (11:15 a.m.)

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has warned in a speech that voters will lose faith if the government extends the Article 50 Brexit deadline, delaying the U.K.’s withdrawal from the EU beyond March 29. The former cabinet minister—widely seen as a man with leadership ambitions—said even discussing a delay to Brexit weakens Britain’s negotiating position in Brussels.

While Johnson isn’t in the Cabinet any more, his views still matter. May has said she will stand down as Conservative Party leader before the next election, scheduled to be held in 2022, meaning politicians with hopes of becoming prime minister are already preparing their campaigns. After quitting the cabinet over May’s soft Brexit plan, Johnson is popular with the party members who will choose the next leader.union-