All eyes on May as she prepares to spell out key Brexit demands

London : European leaders braced on Friday for a speech by British Prime Minister Theresa May that is expected to spell out key positions on Brexit after wrangling and tension in her own government.

With the clock ticking ever faster towards Britain's departure from the EU on March 29, 2019, May's address in Florence, Italy seeks to break a deadlock in negotiations whose fourth round starts next week.

Among the many issues dividing the two sides, money dominates.

Britain has yet to agree on -- or even say -- how much it will pay the European Union on departure, a position that for Brussels blocks any talks on a potential future trade deal.

On the eve of her speech, May met with cabinet ministers for more than two hours to finalise Britain's position.

Ministers have been at odds over crucial issues such as a potential transition deal and future access to the EU single market as well as the Brexit bill.

The tensions exploded into public view last week when Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson laid out his own vision for life outside the EU.

He argued for a sharp break with the bloc, a stance that dismays moderates who fear this will wreck Britain's relations with the world's biggest trade bloc.

In doing so, he was accused of trying to tie the hands of May, whose hold on power remains fragile since losing her parliamentary majority in the June election.