May tours Europe in desperate bid to save Brexit deal

Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May embarked on a tour of European capitals on Tuesday in a desperate bid to salvage her Brexit deal, a day after delaying a parliamentary vote on the text to avoid a crushing defeat.

May had breakfast with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague before heading to Berlin for lunch with Chancellor Angela Merkel, and was then to travel on to Brussels.

She is seeking "reassurances" over provisions in the EU withdrawal agreement concerning Northern Ireland, which she hopes could persuade her rebellious Conservative party to support it.

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said ahead of meeting May that he was "surprised" at being asked for more talks.

"I'm surprised because we had reached an agreement on November 25" at the last EU summit, he told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

"The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible, it's the only deal possible.

"There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation but of course there is room, if used intelligently, to give further clarification and further interpretations."