No room for substantial renegotiation on withdrawal agreement – German minister

There is no room for substantial renegotiation of Britain’s Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union, Germany’s justice minister has said.

Katarina Barley said the EU can be flexible on Britain’s departure date, but London must have a plan for a delay to make sense.

Ms Barley, who is half-British and has long advocated a second referendum, also said in an interview with SWR2 radio that such a vote “is becoming more likely every day” given the political situation in Britain.

British politicians are debating what to do next. Ms Barley said it will be “difficult” if they want to renegotiate “because the EU cannot make more concessions to Britain on the important points”.

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29.

Ms Barley said the EU would be prepared to compromise but “if there is no plan at all for what should then be different, then a delay makes only very limited sense”.