Politics

Brexit truly is a washout as water pours into House of Commons


Water flooded into the House of Commons as crisis talks to break the Brexit deadlock were branded a washout.

Astonished MPs were forced to quit the dampened chamber hours early after a torrent poured through the ceiling.  

A Government plan to book time for crucial Brexit votes next week hit the rocks when the rest of the day’s business was cancelled.

Just yards across Westminster, Labour and No 10 negotiating teams were locked in talks as they tried to chart a course out of the chaos.

It’s another blow to Theresa May

 

Both sides said the negotiations were detailed and professional but that they hadn’t reached a compromise and would meet again today.

Labour sources were downbeat about the prospect of success, claiming Theresa May ’s team had not budged from their red lines. 

Government negotiators, led by de facto deputy PM David Lidington, had put the emphasis on why Labour should back the Tory plan.

They also picked holes in Labour’s key demands – a customs arrangement and alignment on workers’ rights and environmental protections.

 

Jeremy Corbyn’s team kept negotiating

An insider said: “In terms of today being a breakthrough, or a big open offer, that hasn’t happened yet.”

During the four-and-half hour talks, they tucked into a lunch of sandwiches and fruit, and sipped tea and coffee and chomped on biscuits.

The stalemate comes despite public confirmation from senior Government figures suggesting they could accept a customs union.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said: “Some kind of customs arrangement is clearly going to be part of the future structure.

House of Lords

“When you enter into a negotiation like this to find a compromise way forward, both parties have to give something up. There is going to be pain on both sides.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock also hinted he was prepared to accept a customs union compromise. “I have spoken about the problems of a customs union and I don’t think it’s as good for the country. But I also want to deliver Brexit,” he said.

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox added: “We are assisting at the birth of something new. Births are not always easy and we must take the necessary steps to achieve our departure.”

The Prime Minister has said she wanted to enter into the talks “in the spirit of compromise” but Labour suggested the public rhetoric had not yet met with the private reality.

British Chancellor Philip Hammond

Afterwards, Mr Lidington joined Mr Hammond, Mr Cox, Envrionment Secretary Michael Gove and the Business and Brexit Secretaries at No 10.

They were preparing to write to EU chief Donald Tusk to request a further delay to Brexit – but remain deeply split on the length. 

One Remain-supporting Labour MP, Rupa Huq, was granted a private meeting with Mrs May yesterday to voice her concerns.

She told the Mirror she had seemed reluctant to budge on many of her red lines and seemed keen to bring back her thrice-defeated deal.

But she said the PM had signalled she might be prepared to accept some form of customs arrangement.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel

However, Mrs May had remained “pretty implaccably opposed” to the prospect of a second referendum, she said. 

It comes after Mr Hammond suggested a confirmatory vote was a “credible” option that Parliament “deserved” to look at.

Sources suggested No 10 was drafting a letter to Labour that could include the idea of a fresh vote being put in front of MPs.

The comments sparked further fury from Tory Brexiteers who are already plotting to oust the PM as soon as possible. 

Hardline eurosceptic Steve Baker accused the Government of being “out of step” with Tory party members and the country. 

He accused Mrs May of effectively making Mr Corbyn her deputy by begging him to bail out her Brexit plan. 

In Ireland for talks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country would do everthing it could to prevent a No Deal departure. 

But in Brussels, heads of various European Commission departments warned its Secretary-General Martin Selmayr that his insistence that the EU was ready for Britain to crash out without a deal didn’t match reality. 

Senior officials warned of travel and customs delays across Europe and serious legal and political challenges for all member states.

Meanwhile, 40 British troops could be forced to pull out of an EU-led military mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina under a no-deal Brexit.

The Government finally filled five vacant ministerial roles, with the PM’s right-hand woman Seema Kennedy getting a health job and Tory deputy chairman James Cleverly moving to the Brexit department.

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