UK wants financial services to be in Brexit deal with EU - May

LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister TheresaMay said on Monday that she wanted financial services to be partof a deal on the country's new relationship with the EuropeanUnion after Brexit, echoing comments she made in a speech lastweek.

"One of the elements that we will be looking at as part ofour future economic partnership with the European Union is apartnership on financial services," May said in a response to aquestion after giving a speech on housing.

"The role that the City of London here plays is not justimportant for us, it's important for the whole of the EuropeanUnion... so we will be looking to include financial services."

EU officials have said May's approach amounts 'cherrypicking' the best bits of the EU's single market. They sayBritain must accept less access to the single market if itcontinues to rule out some of the conditions for membercountries, including the free movement of people from across theEU.(Writing by William SchombergEditing by Alistair Smout)