Theresa May wants Brexit deal with opposition

UK PM Theresa May (File photo, collected)

London, May 5 : Theresa May has called for Jeremy Corbyn to “put their differences aside” and agree a Brexit deal.

The UK was supposed to leave the EU on 29 March – but the deadline was delayed until 31 October, after MPs rejected Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement three times.

Mrs May is now seeking Labour support to get an agreement through Parliament.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, she said they should “listen to what voters said” in Thursday’s local elections.

The Conservatives lost 1,334 councillors, while Labour failed to make expected gains, instead losing 82 seats.

The Liberal Democrats benefited from Tory losses, gaining 703 seats, with the Greens and independents also making gains.
The prime minister blamed the Brexit impasse for the losses – but said the elections gave “fresh urgency” to find a way to “break the deadlock”.

Mrs May said she hopes to find a “unified, cross-party position” with Labour – despite admitting that her colleagues “find this decision uncomfortable” and that “frankly, it is not what I wanted either”.

Talks between Labour and the Conservatives are to resume on Tuesday.

According to the Sunday Times, Mrs May is willing to compromise on three areas: customs, goods alignment and workers’ rights.

The paper says she could put forward plans for a comprehensive, but temporary, customs arrangement with the EU that would last until the next general election.