May's Brexit Tactics Leave EU Leaders Alarmed and Dismissive
- May to meet Merkel before convening divided Cabinet next week
- Irish PM warns latest U.K. trade idea could destroy the bloc
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Tensions over Britain’s divorce from the European Union ratcheted higher on Friday as Prime Minister Theresa May’s approach was described as “alarming” by one of her peers, and leaders said time was running out to avoid a catastrophic breakup.
One EU premier, who heard May’s address on Brexit over dinner Thursday during the EU summit in Brussels, said he was shocked by the tone and left thinking the risk of talks collapsing without a deal was now almost 50-50, having gone in considering the likelihood to be about 20 percent, an official he briefed said. A no-deal split is the scenario businesses fear most.