Labour declares Brexit talks dead as May's premiership crumbles

by Guy Faulconbridge, Andrew MacAskill

 

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, and the leader of opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn attend an Armistice remembrance service at St Margaret's Church, in London, Britain November 6, 2018. John Stillwell/Pool via REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s tumultuous divorce from the European Union was again in disarray on Friday as the opposition Labour Party declared last-ditch cross-party talks dead as Prime Minister Theresa May’s premiership crumbled.

 

Nearly three years after the United Kingdom voted 52% to 48% in a referendum to leave the EU, it is still unclear how, when or if it will ever leave the European club it joined in 1973. The current deadline to leave is Oct. 31.

 

Brexit talks between May’s Conservative Party and Labour collapsed hours after May agreed on Thursday to set out a timetable for her departure in early June.

 

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to May on Friday informing her that the Brexit talks, which began on April 3, had “gone as far as they can” due to the instability of her government.

 

“We have been unable to bridge important policy gaps between us,” Corbyn, a socialist who voted against joining the predecessor of the EU in 1975, wrote to May.

 

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

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-17

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I wonder what her exit strategy will be.

32 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

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

To me it is very sad that at such an important time, Mr. Corbyn looks to try to score cheap political points with such a comment, which was totally unnecessary. I would have more respect for him had he simply left it at "we were unable to reach an agreement."

 

1 minute ago, darksidedog said:

To me it is very sad that at such an important time, Mr. Corbyn looks to try to score cheap political points with such a comment, which was totally unnecessary. I would have more respect for him had he simply left it at "we were unable to reach an agreement."

 

My take on it is the opposite - were he to simply say that they were unable to reach agreement, he could be held open to criticism of not trying hard enough. Here, while pulling no punches, he makes clear that whatever he might agree with her, she is in no position to ensure that the agreement is honoured. 

1 minute ago, RuamRudy said:

My take on it is the opposite - were he to simply say that they were unable to reach agreement, he could be held open to criticism of not trying hard enough. Here, while pulling no punches, he makes clear that whatever he might agree with her, she is in no position to ensure that the agreement is honoured. 

But he isn't even in Government and has division in his ranks too, but with even less votes, so the same could easily be said for him.Case of pot meet kettle, as there are no guarantees he could bring Labour as a united force to back a deal he wants either. So, as I said, cheap sniping for attempted political gain.

1 minute ago, darksidedog said:

To me it is very sad that at such an important time, Mr. Corbyn looks to try to score cheap political points with such a comment, which was totally unnecessary. I would have more respect for him had he simply left it at "we were unable to reach an agreement."

 

Do you really think he went into these talks with any intention of getting the UK out of the big hole the Brexiteers have dug, with 6 days before the EU elections next week just what is Labour's policy on Brexit?

 

Likewise TM has used the talks to time waste.

 

Neither party was sincere, both just political point scoring.  

A bad idea going down the pan, that's how I read it. 

With the British population, parliament, government, leading political parties (and even this forum 555) split about 50 / 50, what would be needed is a real statesman / atateswoman.

But what are the chances of witnessing a second Nelson Mandela in our lifetime?

10 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

With the British population, parliament, government, leading political parties (and even this forum 555) split about 50 / 50, what would be needed is a real statesman / atateswoman.

But what are the chances of witnessing a second Nelson Mandela in our lifetime?

Cometh the hour, cometh the woman ????

 

15 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

With the British population, parliament, government, leading political parties (and even this forum 555) split about 50 / 50, what would be needed is a real statesman / atateswoman.

But what are the chances of witnessing a second Nelson Mandela in our lifetime?

You mean the UK should appoint a South African as PM ?

It is the job of the government to deliver Brexit, not the job of the opposition.

16 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

Cometh the hour, cometh the woman ????

 

That's Tracy Ullman ????

22 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

Cometh the hour, cometh the woman ????

 

Not Jimmy Krankie surely?

12 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

You mean the UK should appoint a South African as PM ?

Peter (turncoat) Hain??? 

 

Only good for digging up cricket pitches...

I wonder what her exit strategy will be.

Getting her p45 of course

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5 hours ago, Basil B said:

Do you really think he went into these talks with any intention of getting the UK out of the big hole the Brexiteers have dug, with 6 days before the EU elections next week just what is Labour's policy on Brexit?

 

Likewise TM has used the talks to time waste.

 

Neither party was sincere, both just political point scoring.  

Yes, sir. And regardless of which party one may support or one's position on Brexit, the whole bloody thing was a time wasting farce.

Labour is not the answer to Brexit. The Cons are not the answer to Brexit. The Liberals want to remain but will never win any meaningful votes. The fringe parties have no agenda but 'Brexit. I just want Brexit' or 'Cancel Article 50 and ball locks.'

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no way out of this. Pages of passionate argument fail to convince the other side. Pages of memes and slogans with an ever larger UK flag don't work either. If anyone can provide a resolution other than angrily shouting and posting links and memes their opponents won't bother reading, I am all ears. But until then, I am literally in despair.

^^^

Put simply, the UK used to be of some consequence a few decades ago, but is now reduced to being a feeble little offshore island whose so-called leaders have lost the will and the courage, indeed the ability, to govern at all.

Wait until Boris gets the top job. Then Scotland would say bye-bye, and Hadrians wall would be rebuilt. And all because the Tory Brexshit ship has fkced the populace hook, line and sinker.   

 

Wouldn't have happened in my day. You get results by 'attacking'  - in this case, the EU - from the insiide while you have influence, power and veto - never to cast yourself adrift, as that's a losing strategy.  

 

 

15 hours ago, evadgib said:

That's Tracy Ullman ????

'Tracy Ullman' is on Marr tomorrow but after last weeks mauling none will be surprised at how heavily this panel is stacked. I won't even bother watching...

 

I saw  this  and  almost vomited????

 

Plus the news review w/ @StaceyDooley

16 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

Cometh the hour, cometh the woman ????

 

There is no leadership, no consensus in UK and I don't see it on the horizon.

I do see stumblings, flailings, general chaos and then EU will say Ta Ta, sorry you couldn't get your act together, and a no deal exit will happen by default.

Nice job, Tories.

As an expatriate Brit I have tried hard to follow and understand Brexit but, just as I have tried to understand where we are with the Thai election process and formation of a new government I have no idea what is actually happening!????

20 hours ago, nausea said:

I wonder what her exit strategy will be.

relief that it is all over, a nice long holiday followed by a good pension to be spent in a Europrean country of her choice.

1 hour ago, Emdog said:

There is no leadership, no consensus in UK and I don't see it on the horizon.

I do see stumblings, flailings, general chaos and then EU will say Ta Ta, sorry you couldn't get your act together, and a no deal exit will happen by default.

Nice job, Tories.

We'll settle for that thanks. It's what we voted for in the first place. Very late in coming but that's all because of the Remain subterfuge.

21 hours ago, nausea said:

I wonder what her exit strategy will be.

 

Follow Cameron and Osborne into lucrative private business role somewhere most probably.

47 minutes ago, Loiner said:

We'll settle for that thanks. It's what we voted for in the first place. Very late in coming but that's all because of the Remain subterfuge.

 

How many people voted to leave without any sort of deal? Apart from apparently you and a couple more Brexiteer posters here?

9 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

How many people voted to leave without any sort of deal? 

Everyone who voted to leave as there were no 'how do you want us to leave' options on the ballot paper.

Sometimes I think it isn't the 'Brexiteers' who were the stupid ones.

 

If you're standing in my house and I ask you to leave, I don't normally specify the exit, although if you took too long it would probably be the window.

 

Edited May 18, 20197 yr by BritManToo

21 hours ago, nausea said:

I wonder what her exit strategy will be.

probably go out dancing to an abba song as usual.

49 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

How many people voted to leave without any sort of deal? Apart from apparently you and a couple more Brexiteer posters here?

17.4 Million voted for No Deal. There was no mention of a deal until after we won, when the Remain subterfuge and EU trickery started.