British Prime Minister Theresa May claims reaching out to the opposition Labour party was the only way to avoid either leaving the EU with no deal or not leaving at all.
She has just days left to come up with a solution before the latest Brexit date due on April 12, although she has asked Brussels an extension to the June 30.
Leading Brexit supporter, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, says the prime minister’s difficulties are of her own making and if the UK is forced to stay in the EU it should make life difficult for Brussels.
“When the multiannual financial framework (next EU budget) comes forward – if we’re still in (EU) – this is our one-in-seven-years opportunity to veto the budget and be really very difficult and I hope that any British PM would take that opportunity”
Talks between May’s ruling Conservatives and Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party are ongoing, with the government insisting a compromise can still be reached. But the mood music coming from the Corbyn camp, while positive, is not quite as optimistic, and they’re saying it’s down to the government to move.
“We are currently waiting for the government to come back to us now to state whether they’re prepared to move on any of their red lines, Labour’s Business Policy Chief Rebecca Long-Bailey told the BBC’s Andrew Marr. “As I say, we had great discussions and we went into a lot of technical details but so far we haven’t seen anything from government that would suggest they are prepared to change any part of the deal going forward.”
If May can agree a compromise deal with Labour then she will have something new to take to an EU summit on April 10. If not, she will have to come up with a new plan if she is to secure an extension from EU leaders, who are losing patience with the United Kingdom.