EU summit: Leaders still thrashing out deal on UK membership

EU leaders were still trying to thrash out a deal on Britain's continuing membership of the 28 nation bloc on Friday as negotiations continued into the second day of the Brussels summit.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron was holding a series of meetings with the leaders of eastern European member states over his plans to curb benefits to EU migrants and their children for 13 years.

The aim had been to finish the talks at an "English breakfast" on Friday morning, but this soon became the subject of parody as breakfast became "lunch, then "afternoon tea". The meeting still had no definitive start time at 1500 GMT.

The British want child benefits capped at the level appropriate to the standard of living in the member state where the child resides. They also want EU migrants to wait four years before they qualify for any benefits.

Poland and other eastern European nations fear this would set a precedent for other countries or lead to the restriction of other benefits. Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło met Cameron twice on Friday seeking assurances on child benefits.

The latest draft proposal in circulation at the summit had a clause inserted that excluded future proposals to index other types of exportable benefits, such as pensions.

Leaders agree on the idea of a so-called “emergency brake”, or benefit restrictions, but that and the indexation of child benefits have to be approved by the European Parliament.

Eastern EU states are uncomfortable with the idea of curbing benefits as many of their citizens now live and work in the UK.

On Tuesday Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Czech Republic - known as the Visegrad-4 - reached a common position rejecting the benefits proposals.

Cameron surprised other delegations when he tabled an extra proposal that the "emergency brake" should be in place for 13 years, although there were signs on Friday afternoon that some form of compromise could be agreed that would put the timing between seven years and the UK demand.

As part of the continuing round of horse trading, Greece asked for support on retaining open borders for refugees in Europe in return for its backing of the UK's demands. There were suggestions that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had threatened to veto any deal if his demands were not met.

French President Francois Hollande also expressed concerns that Britain was trying to negotiate a side deal on regulation of financial services that would see London gain an exemption from EU regulation.

Meanwhile a new TNS poll on voter intentions in the planned UK referendum on whether to stay in or leave the EU showed 36% of respondents were in favour of an exit - known in shorthand form as "Brexit".

However 23% said they were still undecided, 34% would remain and 7% would not cast a vote at all. A greater proportion said they believe that the outcome of the referendum would actually see the UK remain within the EU.