May says wants to keep 'deep' partnership with EU

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday she wanted to keep a "deep and special" partnership with the European Union, responding to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's suggestion that the EU could no longer completely rely on Britain. "We want to build ... that deep and special partnership with the European Union that remains, because we're leaving the EU but we're not leaving Europe," May said when asked about Merkel's comments. "We will continue to co-operate on issues like security and defence because that's important for us all." Speaking at a campaign event ahead of Britain's June 8 general election, May added that there were those in the EU who wanted to "punish the United Kingdom over Brexit" insisting that no deal was better than a bad deal. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; editing by William James)