PM to brief MPs on Brexit talks, saying she is optimistic

The Prime Minister will today (Monday) update MPs on the contents of, and progress since, the speech in Florence.

Speaking in the House of Commons as Parliament returns, the PM is expected to say:

"A new, deep and special partnership between a sovereign United Kingdom and a strong and successful European Union is our ambition and our offer to our European friends.

“Achieving that partnership will require leadership and flexibility, not just from us but from our friends, the 27 nations of the EU.

“And as we look forward to the next stage, the ball is in their court. But I am optimistic we will receive a positive response.

“Because what we are seeking is not just the best possible deal for us – but also the best possible deal for our European friends too.

“So while of course progress will not always be smooth, by approaching these negotiations in a constructive way – in a spirit of friendship and co-operation and with our sights firmly set on the future – I believe we can prove the doomsayers wrong.

“And I believe we can seize the opportunities of this defining moment in the history of our nation.”