Robert Patman: Theresa May hopes to sign Brexit deal with Brussels overnight

LISTEN TO ROBERT PATMAN TALK WITH THE WEEKEND COLLECTIVE ABOVEIt's crunch time for UK Prime Minister Theresa May as she hopes the EU will sign off on a draft Brexit deal at a summit in Brussels overnight.May, who arrived in Brussels Saturday evening for preparatory talks with EU leaders, will then have the momentous task of selling the deal to a recalcitrant British Parliament and a nation still fundamentally split over whether the U.K. should leave the EU on March 29 and under what conditions.International Relations Expert Robert Patman says the deal on the table is no good."And the deal she's delivered seems to have the worst of both worlds. Britain actually becomes weaker than it was when it was within the EU."He told The Weekend Collective that it's highly unlikely the British Parliament will vote for the current deal, and may even lead to another referendum.The latest developments come after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Saturday that Madrid would support the Brexit divorce deal after the U.K. and the EU agreed to give Spain a say in the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar, which lies at the southern tip of the Mediterranean nation.Spain wants the future of the tiny territory, which was ceded to Britain in 1713 but is still claimed by Spain, to be a bilateral issue between Madrid and London, not between Britain and the EU.In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk assured Sanchez that Spain's "prior agreement" would be needed on matters concerning Gibraltar."Europe and the United Kingdom have accepted the conditions imposed by Spain," Sanchez said. "Therefore, as a consequence of this, Spain will lift its veto and tomorrow will vote in favor of Brexit."May said Britain had conceded nothing on the sovereignty of Gibraltar."I will always stand by Gibraltar," May said after meeting with Juncker. "The U.K. position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change."The move should allow EU leaders speedily to sign off on the Brexit agreement between Britain and a special summit Sunday morning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.