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Blame game continues as search for Brexit in London

 Politicians returned to Westminster from their Easter recess with no progress reported during the latest round of talks between the two main parties seeking to end the Brexit deadlock.

The governing Conservatives and their rivals, the Labour Party, blamed each other for the lack of progress in the quest to find a deal both sides can agree to enable Britain to leave the European Union (EU).

Prime Minister Theresa May, eager for her own three-times rejected Brexit withdrawal deal to win support, accused Labour of “dragging its feet in Brexit compromise talks”, the Daily Telegraph in London reported.

May is said to have told her senior ministers at a Tuesday cabinet meeting that while talks with Labour were serious, they had hit difficulties over how quickly they should take place and reach a conclusion. 

Main opposition leader, Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn accused the government of just “regurgitating” the prime minister’s plan over and over again, accusing the government of dragging its feet.

Corbyn said the government had so far refused to move on the terms of May’s Brexit deal which Members of Parliament (MPs) have already rejected three times, once by the biggest margin in British political history.

The Telegraph commented: “The comments by the two leaders suggest a Brexit breakthrough remains incredibly unlikely and the two sides may well be pivoting towards a blame game ahead of the potential collapse of the talks.”   

May’s official spokesman told a regular media briefing that the government’s position was that progress needed to be made urgently as it was vital to deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum when people voted to leave the EU by a 52-48 margin.

Corbyn responded: “There has got to be a change. We have a window of opportunity to bring about that change. I hope the government recognises that and makes the most of it.”

Talks between the two parties took place Tuesday, led by Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington, while Labour’s negotiating team was led by Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.

If the British parliament fails to agree a Brexit deal quickly, Britain will have to take part in next month’s European Parliament elections, even though the MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) elected would only serve in office until Britain leaves the bloc.

-Xinhua

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