The BBC report the words exchanged rather differently. According to the Beeb May didn't say she needed a deal to defend back home but rather: The prime minister made a personal appeal to her EU counterparts at a working dinner last night, telling them that "we must work together to get to an outcome that we can stand behind and defend to our people". Her we would include Rutte and not make Rutte an exception.
Interesting too that Merkel is beginning to thaw when she has been the most stubborn until now:As I've thought all along the last thing the Germans actually want is for talks to fail as they would be the ones in the end who are lumped with the bill. This is completely different to the Greek talks years ago as the Greeks were recipients while we are the benefactors and he who pays the piper calls the tune. If we were recipients it would be a case of here is the deal now sign on the dotted line but being the ones holding the purse strings changes things somewhat.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there were "encouraging" signs of progress in Brexit negotiations and suggested formal trade talks could begin in December - when EU leaders are next scheduled to meet.She said the process was progressing "step by step" despite British media reports that negotiations were not advancing.
"I have absolutely no doubt that if we are all focused - and the speech in Florence made a contribution towards that - we can achieve a good result," she said.
"From my side there are no indications at all that we won't succeed."