May heads to Brussels in surprise bid to break Brexit deadlock
Prime Minister Theresa May has headed to Brussels on Monday to hold crunch talks with European Union leaders in a bid to end the deadlock over Brexit negotiations.
Despite Downing Street insisting the meeting had "been in the diary for weeks," the trip with Brexit Secretary David Davis to speak with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker surprised Westminster.
The trip to Belgium comes a week after the fifth round of negotiations between Mr Barnier and Mr Davis reached an impasse over the cost of the divorce settlement.
Mr Barnier said he could not recommend to EU chiefs that talks move to the next stage until progress was made on the settlement.
Mr Juncker warned last week the Brexit process will take "longer than we initially thought", blaming Britain's reluctance to settle its financial obligations.
The UK government is pushing for the exit bill and future trade negotiations to be discussed together.
Former Brexit Minister David Jones called for Britain to suspend talks until the EU is prepared to talk "sensibly about money" and future trade terms.
Mrs May spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday, who urged "continued constructive progress".