Theresa May vows to seek ‘orderly’ Brexit as she urges MPs to work together to strike a deal
Prime Minister Theresa May has called on MPs to work together to break parliament’s Brexit deadlock after the Easter break.
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The EU handed the UK a second extension to Article 50 yesterday to take the UK up to 31 October, averting a potential no-deal Brexit scheduled for tomorrow.
European Council president Donald Tusk told the UK “not the waste” this extra time.
Today the Prime Minister addressed MPs in the Commons, urging them – and Labour in particular – to find common ground on Brexit.
“I profoundly believe in this unique situation where the House is deadlocked it’s incumbent on both front benches to work together to deliver what the people voted for,” May said.
Labour and the Conservatives are trying to thrash out a Brexit compromise in Westminster but so far have not reached an agreement.
May vowed to pursue an “orderly” Brexit after Labour promised to work together with the Conservatives to “break the impasse” in parliament.
Currently however, the UK will take part in European parliament elections in late May – almost three years since voting to leave the bloc.
May said participation “remains a decision for this House”. MPs could avoid it by backing a deal.
If talks with Labour fail the government will put forward fresh indicative votes in parliament to govern the next steps, May said.
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But she added: “If we want to get on with leaving, we need to start this process soon.”