Theresa May persuades ministers to ‘hand over up to £20bn’ to EU to break Brexit talk stalemate in crunch meeting – as she forces her warring cabinet to unite ahead of landmark speech
THERESA MAY has forced her warring cabinet ministers to unite after crunch talks this morning to agree on tomorrow's key Brexit speech.
Boris Johnson and Philip Hammond were made to walk out of a 2.5 hour meeting at No10 together as a sign of their unity on our EU exit.
Her top team met in Downing Street to sign off on the final draft of the text - which will be delivered in Florence.
Mr Johnson - who campaigned fiercely for Brexit - has repeatedly disagreed with his cabinet colleague Mr Hammond over the direction of our EU exit.
The Chancellor wants a lengthy transition period and to stay in the single market for as long as possible, but the Foreign Secretary wants to cut ties with the bloc and stop paying money to them as soon as we can.
Ministers remained tight-lipped as they left, and a Downing Street press spokesperson refused to confirm any details about the speech.
But Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke said leaving Downing Street that the PM "has the backing of all of us".
Mrs May tried to bring Boris Johnson to heel after a week of tension in the cabinet over the next steps for Brexit.
The Foreign Secretary had to face up to Home Secretary Amber Rudd - who last weekend accused him of "backseat driving" over our EU exit when he published his own 4,000 word Brexit blueprint.
The PM is set to try and break the deadlock in EU Brexit talks by promising in tomorrow's speech to continue to make up to £20billion in payments into the bloc's budget during a transitional period - but Downing Street have dismissed reports as "speculation".
A firm cash figure is not expected in tomorrow's speech, which she will give in the 15th Century church Santa Maria, but it is thought that her "open and generous offer" of money to try and get talks to progress will be clear.
She will offer the controversial cash in exchange for continued single market access and a good post-Brexit trade deal.
But already Brexiteers are expressing their scepticism, with backbench MP Peter Bone announcing that the payments would be "too much" for the public to bear.
The Prime Minister is set to bypass formal talks with EU Brexit negotiators and appeal directly to European leaders during her address.
Speaking in New York while at the UN general assembly, the PM said: "Of course the EU council has given a mandate to the commission, and it has appointed Michel Barnier.
"But the decision will always be one that will be taken by leaders".
May picks 15th century Gothic church to deliver key Brexit speech
THERESA May has picked the impressive gothic basilica the Church of Santa Maria Novella to deliver her keynoted Brexit speech tomorrow.
Situated just across from the main railway station in the Tuscan city, it was designed by two Dominican friars - with building starting in the mid-13th century, Alain Tolhurst writes.
Financed by the most important Florentine families, it was completed the following century and despite extensive remodelling to add more chapels the original marble façade is still in place.
Inside it contains some of Italy’s most important works of art, but many of the frescoes were lost when they were painted over in the 16th century.
However Trinità by Masaccio, one of the earliest paintings to demonstrate mastery of perspective, was only covered by a massive painting and was rediscovered in 1860.
Outsiders have only been able to access all of the complex since 2012 after restoration was completed, with half a million people a year now visiting the museums and cloisters.
Outside the piazza used to host chariot races, with two obelisks marking the start and finish line in an attempt to imitate an ancient Roman circus.
The speech threatens to be overshadowed by this week's extraordinary row between Mrs May and her Foreign Secretary, Mr Johnson.
Last night the PM ordered him to fly back to the UK early on her plane, as the two made an attempt to show unity ahead of the speech.
No10 officials refused to say what the Premier wanted to discuss with Boris.
But the PM is known to be furious with him over his very public challenge to her plan to break Brexit talks deadlock and his resignation hints.
Over the weekend he weighed into the debate with his article on how to achieve a 'Glorious Brexit' - including paying up to £350m to the NHS after we leave.
The Foreign Secretary was forced to deny reports that he could quit if Mrs May didn't make concessions on payments in her speech - but he is now said to be on board with making payments for a short time to the EU.
And last night his constituents in Uxbridge pushed on him to get in line behind his boss.
Today the former Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind told Sky News that he thought Boris still wanted to remain in Government, but he felt “left out” of the Brexit process and wanted people to know he could still make waves.
But he added that “shares in Boris have gone down very considerably” with his intervention, both within the cabinet and with party members.
Donald Trump yesterday stressed his wishes to secure a great trade deal with us during bilateral talks with the PMFollowing Mrs May’s speech, EU Council boss Donald Tusk will come to London next Tuesday for talks with her in No10 on how to take her plan forward.
A fourth round of EU talks begins next week between David Davis and Michel Barnier in Brussels.
EU officials have insisted we can't start talking about our future arrangement with the EU until we talk money.
David Davis, Boris Johnson and Philip Hammond are set to join her in Italy tomorrow to make the speech.
And activists at a Tory-style Glastonbury festival are set to sit down and watch it live from the PM's constituency back home.
But senior EU diplomats have already cast doubt on whether Mrs May’s budget cash offer to fill a giant hole in Brussels coffers until 2020 created by Brexit will be enough.
One said: “We will at least have something to talk about.
“But it is not where the landing zone is.”
An EU Council spokesman added: "The EU position on this is that more than specific figures, it is important to agree on the methodology to calculate the financial settlement".