Battling PM "determined" Britain to quit EU on time

LONDON, Feb. 3 -- British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday she plans to return to Brussels to battle for Britain and Northern Ireland in her quest to secure a Brexit deal.

With just eight weeks to go before Britain ends its membership of the European Union (EU), May issued a plea to lawmakers in the House of Commons to stand together to support a new deal.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, May said: "The clock is ticking, and negotiating the changes MPs want to see will not be easy. But if we stand together and speak with one voice, I believe we can find the right way forward."

May will be heading to Brussels following her victory in the House of Commons earlier when MPs, by a majority of 16, backed her EU withdrawal deal providing she re-negotiates changes to the proposed arrangements over the Northern Ireland border issue.

May said in her article: "When I return to Brussels, I will be battling for Britain and Northern Ireland. I will be armed with a fresh mandate, new ideas and a renewed determination to agree a pragmatic solution that delivers the Brexit the British people voted for, while ensuring there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. That is what Parliament instructed me to do."

May said she was now confident there is a route that can secure a majority in the House of Commons for leaving the EU with a deal.

"This represents a significant step towards delivering Brexit and fulfilling the instruction given to us by the British public. Now that same British public wants us to get on and finish the job," she added.

No date has yet been announced when May will be heading to Brussels for talks on the Brexit deal.

Continuing her "battling" mood, May concluded: "I'm determined to deliver Brexit, and determined to deliver on time -- on March 29, 2019."

So far Brussels has insisted that its so-called backstop arrangement, aimed at ensuring there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, must stay as part of any deal.