Brexit D-Day looms

Talks to resume in effort to beat European Union deadline

CROSS-PARTY talks to jump-start plans for Brexit are expected to resume before the Friday deadline for leaving the European Union.

The opposition Labour Party hopes the political impasse can be resolved, according to a party negotiator.

Prime Minister Theresa May reluctantly reached out to Labour MPs after Parliament voted down her divorce deal with the EU for the third time. Her move infuriated pro-Brexit politicians in her Conservative Party. Three days of bargaining did not yield a compromise agreement.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Government showed no willingness to budge from its stance but Opposition business spokeswoman Rebecca Long-Bailey said further talks were expected.

The mood of the discussions “is quite a positive and hopeful one” despite the Government’s “disappointing” failure to shift its stance on several issues, Ms Long-Bailey said.

“We haven’t seen overall any real changes to the deal, but we are hopeful that will change in coming days, and we are willing to continue the talks as we know the Government are.”

Mrs May said on Saturday that she had had no choice but to reach out to Labour, given that her deal with the EU had failed to pass Parliament and “there is no sign it can be passed in the near future”.

Mrs May warned that any Brexit could “slip through our fingers” unless a cross-party compromise were found.

Labour’s key demand is for a customs union with the EU. Hard-line Brexiteers vehemently oppose any proposal that would continue to bind them to EU tariff rules and restrict the capacity to strike own free trade deals.

Ms Long-Bailey insisted Labour wanted to avoid a no-deal Brexit “in any situation” and was prepared to cancel Brexit rather than see such an outcome, expected to wreak havoc on business and disrupt travel.