What the papers say – September 22

Theresa May’s defiant challenge to EU leaders over their rejection of her Brexit blueprint leads most papers on Saturday.

The Prime Minister demanded that Britain is shown respect in the negotiations and warned that an “impasse” over the Irish border and trade had to be overcome.

The Times says the PM has taken the UK to the brink of no-deal by dismissing the EU’s offer as a “bad deal”.

The PM froze talks until EU leaders make a new offer and insisted the ball is in their court, The Sun reports.

The Daily Mail describes Mrs May’s response as “steely” after she was “humiliated” by her European counterparts in Salzburg.

The Daily Express calls the 27 other leaders “self-serving” and reports that a poll showed 81% of readers backed her stance.

However the Daily Telegraph reports that the PM is facing a showdown with her Cabinet, who will call for a “Plan B”.

The Financial Times says the pound suffered its biggest one-day fall in 15 months as Mrs May gave her speech in Downing Street, reporting that hopes of a favourable Brexit outcome have been “punctured”.

The i says Brexiteer MPs were placated by her tough stance, but still plan on staging a “mutiny” over her so-called Chequers plan in the Commons.

And The Guardian says that, despite the “heated rhetoric”, EU officials are drawing up a counter-proposal which is likely to be put forward in early October.

In other news, the Daily Mirror leads with the story of an acid attack victim who says she was talked out of suicide by Strictly star Katie Piper.

And The Independent reports on plans to train the public to be able to give first aid in the event of a terror attack.

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