British PM calls on EU to evolve its position on Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May called on the European Union to evolve its position in response to her new plan which has outlined a blueprint for the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the bloc.

"It is now for the EU to respond, not simply to fall back on previous positions which have already been proven unworkable but to evolve their position in kind," May said in a speech in Belfast on Friday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday that her chief enforcer in parliament had made an honest mistake by breaking a so called pairing agreement at a crucial vote and that he and the party's chairman had apologised.

Julian Smith, known as the government's chief whip, told some Conservative lawmakers to break a pairing arrangement with rival parties that ensures genuine absences do not skew votes in parliament.

Conservative Chairman Brandon Lewis followed the advice and voted with the government at a key Brexit vote on Tuesday even though his "pair", Liberal Democrat lawmaker Jo Swinson, was away as she had just given birth.

When asked by a reporter if she could be trusted, May said: "There was an honest mistake made for which the chief whip and indeed Brandon Lewis have both apologised to the member concerned."