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Good morning.

From the newsroom of the Financial Times. Today is Monday

February 4th and this is your FT news briefing. Today Prime Minister Theresa May

says she's still committed to renegotiating her Brexit deal.

Delivery company Hermes strikes a deal with a trade union in what could be the first of its

kind in the gig economy.

And US first quarter earnings are set for their first decline in three years.

Then the F.T.'s Miles Johnson explains the trouble facing Italy's economy.

I'm Eric Krupky and here's the news you need to start your day.

Prime Minister Theresa May will try to renegotiate her Brexit deal with Brussels this week.

And Tory Eurosceptics have warned her not to take them for granted.

Mrs. May has asked Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay to come up with alternative proposals

to the Irish backstop.

That's the controversial temporary customs union between the EU

that aims to avoid a hard border in Ireland. Brussels has already warned that

technology-based alternatives to the backstop consist of, quote, magical thinking.

They've rolled out any reopening of Britain's draft exit treaty.

Tory MPs in the pro-Brexit European research group are suspicious of Mrs May's efforts.

They fear she'll hit a brick wall with Brussels and won't reopen the treaty.

Aids to Mrs May said the Prime Minister had made it clear she was willing to try to reopen the treaty.

...