EU unlikely to agree to PM May's demand to reopen divorce agreement

The European Union will not reopen the Brexit agreement with Britain, a diplomat from the bloc said on Tuesday after Prime Minister Theresa May said there would have to be "significant" change to the deal to win parliament's support.

"We will not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement. So it may be about the semantics of what 'reopening' means. If things go towards more declarations, assurances or statements -- we can do that. But if she really wants to reopen the whole thing, then it's a 'no'," the diplomat, who is involved in the Brexit talks, said on condition of anonymity. "'Alternative arrangements' are not only mentioned in the Withdrawal Agreement but also in the declaration on the future, which we said we can work on."