Updated 13:05
The UK Prime Minister has said she does not expect any immediate breakthrough on Brexit as she looks for concessions from Europe.
Theresa May met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this morning ahead of the EU Council Summit later.
She will use the summit to ask her European counterparts for "legal and political assurances" on the Irish border backstop in a bid to secure UK parliamentary approval for the withdrawal agreement.
Arriving this afternoon, she said she does not expect an "immediate breakthrough."
"What I do hope is that we can start working as quickly as possible on the assurances that are necessary," she said.
She also confirmed to reporters that she will not stand in the next UK general election - whenever that may be.
Mrs May travelled to the pre-planned European Council summit after surviving a fairly bruising leadership challenge in Westminster yesterday.
It means she's immune from another Conservative leadership challenge for a year - despite more than a third of Tories voting against her.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today has the renewed confidence and supply agreement in his pocket - a deal with Fianna Fáil that will keep him in office until early 2020.
Mrs May is also meeting with the European Council President Donald Tusk.
Ahead of #EUCO I will meet PM @theresa_may for last-minute talks.
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) December 13, 2018
Despite surviving last night's vote, the British Prime Minister still does not have the support to get the withdrawal agreement past the House of Commons.
She's travelling to Brussels this morning to seek more concessions on the backstop.
Speaking after last night's vote, she noted: "For my part I've heard what the House of Commons said about the Northern Ireland backstop, and when I go to the European Council tomorrow I will be seeking legal and political assurance that will assuage the concerns that members of parliament have on that issue".
Our political correspondent @SeanDefoe reports from Brussels as Theresa May seeks #Brexit reassurances from EU leaders: https://t.co/qwYRuUjV8x pic.twitter.com/rR0QLgJChW
— Newstalk (@NewstalkFM) December 13, 2018
However, the Taoiseach and the EU insist there won't be any re-negotiation of the deal.
Leo Varadkar and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker last night dashed any hope of changes to the withdrawal agreement.
Speaking by phone on Wednesday evening, they both agreed that the Brexit withdrawal agreement is "a balanced compromise and the best outcome available".
While they also agreed to work to provide reassurance to the UK, they reiterated that the deal "cannot be re-opened or contradicted".
Mrs May will make her case to the other EU leaders this afternoon and they'll consider what she has to say.
Reporting by Sean Defoe and Stephen McNeice
