United Kingdom: Labor Party Withdraws From Brexit Talks with May’s ’Disintegrating’ Gov’t

By Staff, Agencies

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit talks with Labor Party won't succeed because her government is on the verge of collapsing and there could be a new leader within weeks, Reuters reported citing a Labor insider.

Brexit talks between May's government and the Labor opposition collapsed 17th May after six weeks of fruitless negotiations. In a letter to May, Jeremy Corbyn said the talks had "gone as far as they can" and he had no confidence in the government securing any deal they might've struck due to her ever-weakening position.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the Labor source added that there was "zero chance of reaching an agreement" at present.

"We can't do a deal with a government that is about to collapse," they added.

The parties' negotiating teams have been meeting for six weeks in an attempt to secure agreement, after MPs resoundingly rejected premier's deal in parliament — all the while, more and more high-profile Conservative MPs have indicated they intend to replace May as leader.

It's been suggested that May would resign before the summer — on 3rd June the deal will once again be put up for vote in parliament. If it's voted down again, the public and parliamentary pressure upon her to leave Downing Street is likely to reach fever pitch.

Labor had sought among other things a permanent customs union with the EU after Brexit, meaning there would be no internal tariffs on goods traded between the UK and the rest of the bloc, but this was strongly opposed by hardline 'leave' supporting Conservative MPs.

Labor backbencher Hilary Benn, who chairs the Brexit select committee, said news the talks were ending had "not come as a great surprise" as no progress had been made.

"There are only two ways out of the Brexit crisis we've got — either Parliament agrees a deal or we go back to the British people and ask them to make the choice," he told BBC Radio 4's Today program.