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Britain's Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Photo: Reuters

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pulls plug on Brexit talks with Tories

  • Corbyn cited the British PM’s imminent departure as a reason why the party had doubts “about the government’s ability to deliver on any compromise agreement”
Brexit
Labour has pulled out of cross-party Brexit talks, with the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writing to British Prime Minister Theresa May to say that a lack of progress and government instability means the discussions “have now gone as far as they can”.

In a letter to May, released on Friday, Corbyn said the talks, designed to find a compromise Brexit plan, had taken place in good faith on both sides and had been “detailed [and] constructive”.

He continued: “However, it has become clear that, while there are some areas where compromise has been possible, we have been unable to bridge important policy gaps between us.

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“Even more crucially, the increasing weakness and instability of your government means there cannot be confidence in securing whatever might be agreed between us.”

The letter says Labour will “carefully consider” any new proposals, such as the government’s stated next plan of presenting MPs with a series of options to vote on.

He added: “However, I should reiterate that, without significant changes, we will continue to oppose the government’s deal as we do not believe it safeguards jobs, living standards and manufacturing industry in Britain.”

Corbyn cited May’s imminent departure as a reason why Labour had growing doubts “about the government’s ability to deliver on any compromise agreement”.

May on Thursday promised the executive of the powerful 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers that she would set a date for her departure in the first week of June, leading MPs to believe she will trigger a leadership contest before the summer.

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Amid the jostle to succeed her, Corbyn wrote, “the position of the government has become ever more unstable and its authority eroded. Not infrequently, proposals by your negotiating team have been publicly contradicted by statements from other members of the cabinet”.

He cited comments by cabinet ministers rejecting any type of customs union, and the view of Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, that a new US trade deal could involve lower food standards, for example the import of chlorinated chicken.

The focus will now move to the idea of indicative votes in the Commons to find a compromise.

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