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by Kevin Schofield
14 May 2019
UK Government Brexit talks with Labour on brink of collapse as deadlock continues

UK Government Brexit talks with Labour on brink of collapse as deadlock continues

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn - John Stillwell/PA Wire/PA Images

Brexit negotiations between the UK Government and Labour are on the brink of collapse after the latest round of talks ended without agreement.

Senior frontbenchers from both sides met for nearly two hours on Monday in a fresh bid to find a breakthrough.

But sources said they broke up without any “substantive progress” being made.

In a clear sign that the negotiations a deal is as far away as ever, no further talks have been pencilled in.

Theresa May will report back to her cabinet on Tuesday, as will Jeremy Corbyn with his shadow cabinet.

And it looks increasingly likely that both sides will decide to pull the plug on the talks, which began more than a month ago.

A Labour spokesperson said: “Talks continued tonight and the shadow cabinet and the trade unions will be updated on what has been discussed.”

Jeremy Corbyn made clear his frustration at the lack of progress at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday evening.

He said: “The Government's red lines have not changed and the idea that Tory MPs are going to come round to any time soon to accept the deal is fanciful."

If further negotiations are ruled out, MPs are likely to be given a series of so-called “indicative votes” on various Brexit options as a way of trying to find a Commons majority for one of them.

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