U.K. Plays Down Talk of Brexit Breakthrough

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The U.K. hinted that a breakthrough in Brexit talks may not be that imminent, as it insisted the European Union must make the next move on what Britain’s future ties with the bloc will look like.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab had been expected to go to Brussels this week, but government spokesman James Slack declined to confirm he would. He also said the government would “in due course” set out its proposal for the post-Brexit border with Ireland -- a key sticking points in talks.

“There is a difference between people talking optimistically about a deal and a deal being done,” Slack told reporters in London on Monday. “There can be no withdrawal deal without a precise future framework.”

The U.K is working hard toward getting a deal in the fall, said Slack. There’s no timetable for the government to present its revised plan to the EU, he said.

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To contact the reporter on this story: Kitty Donaldson in London at kdonaldson1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Flavia Krause-Jackson at fjackson@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs

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