Britain says it will hold elections to the European Parliament as planned on May 23, as it is “not possible” to resolve the impasse over the country’s plan to leave the EU before then.
Conservative Prime Minister, Theresa May, is continuing talks on Brexit with the main opposition party, Labour, and other lawmakers to “try and find a way forward, said David Lidington, May’s deputy.
Lidington said in a statement on Tuesday that the way forward must have maximum possible support amongst politicians of all political parties.
“But what this now means, given how little time there is, is that it is regrettably not going to be possible to finish that process before the date that is legally due for European Parliamentary elections,” Lidington said.
He said the government “will be redoubling (its) efforts and talks with MPs of all parties to try to make sure that the delay after (May 23) is as short as possible.”
“Ideally, we’d like to be in a situation where those MEPs never actually have to take their seat at (the)European Parliament – certainly, to get this done and dusted by the summer recess (in the British parliament),” Lidington added.
He said he remained hopeful that the government and Labour “will reach a successful conclusion on all the issues involved.”
May made another public appeal to Labour to “do a deal” on Sunday via the Daily Mail, one of Britain’s most popular tabloid newspapers.
She said the “public is frustrated” by politicians’ failure to deliver Brexit.
This was the major driver of last week’s loss of more than 1,300 seats in local elections by the Conservatives, and nearly 100 by Labour, May wrote.
Political analysts, however, pointed to the fact that the biggest winners in the local voting were the Liberal Democrats, who are staunchly opposed to Brexit and have campaigned for a second referendum with an option for Britain to remain in the EU.
May opened formal talks with Labour after lawmakers voted against her vision for Brexit, negotiated with Brussels, three times.
Both parties are divided over Brexit and many of their lawmakers oppose the talks.
Labour is still promoting its alternative Brexit plan, which includes a permanent British-EU customs union and inclusion in the EU internal market.
Responding to May’s weekend article, Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell claimed she had “blown the confidentiality” of the talks between the parties.
“I actually think she’s jeopardised the negotiations for her own personal protection,” McDonnell, a close ally of Corbyn, said.
Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative lawmakers, wrote in the Telegraph on Sunday that May should resist “the temptation … to do whatever is necessary to secure some kind of Brexit agreement.”
Brady, who was scheduled to meet May on Tuesday, warned that “the price (of a deal with Labour) could be a catastrophic split in the Conservative party”. (dpa/NAN)
