Brexit talks collapse as May’s premiership crumbles

Britain’s tumultuous divorce from the European Union was again in disarray on Friday after the opposition Labour Party declared last-ditch talks dead due to Prime Minister Theresa May’s crumbling government.

Nearly three years after the United Kingdom voted 52 to 48 per cent  in a referendum to leave the EU, it remains unclear how, when or even if it will leave the European club it joined in 1973. The current deadline to leave is Oct. 31.

Brexit talks between May’s Conservative Party and Labour collapsed hours after May agreed on Thursday to set out in early June a timetable for her departure.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to May on Friday informing her that the Brexit talks, which began on April 3, had “gone as far as they can” due to the instability of her government.

“Even more crucially, the increasing weakness and instability of your government means there cannot be confidence in securing whatever might be agreed between us,” Corbyn said.

He said Labour would oppose May’s deal when it returns to parliament early next month. He later told reporters there was no chance of getting even part of a Brexit deal ratified by the end of July.

The divorce deal, which May agreed last year with the EU, has been rejected three times by parliament. May will put part of her deal, contained in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, to a vote in parliament in early June.

-With agency reports