EU elections will go ahead as Brexit deadlock continues, minister confirms
The government admits there is now not enough time to ratify any Brexit deal before 23 May, as talks with Labour continue.
Tuesday 7 May 2019 21:37, UK
The UK will take part in the European Parliament elections on 23 May, the prime minister's deputy has confirmed.
Cabinet Office minister David Lidington said Downing Street has determined there is not enough time left to complete the ratification of a Brexit deal before then.
But he stressed ministers are "redoubling our efforts and talks with MPs of all parties to try to make sure that the delay after that is as short as possible".
The announcement came on the last day the public have to register in order to vote in the EU poll.
The government is now hoping a Brexit deal could be finalised by 30 June, which would prevent freshly-elected UK MEPs having to take their seats at the start of the European Parliament's new session in July.
Tuesday also saw the the latest round of cross-party Brexit talks between the government and Labour take place, which have been prompted by Prime Minister Theresa May's continuing failure to get enough of her own MPs to back her Brexit deal.
Labour's shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer claimed the discussions had now reached "crunch time", while Environment Secretary Michael Gove said he was "optimistic" about the negotiations.
After the conclusion of Tuesday's talks, Labour claimed the government had offered "nothing new" during "very robust" discussions, although talks will continue this week.
Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey added: "The government needs to move on its red lines and we expect to make compromises - but without a government that's willing to compromise it's difficult to see how any agreement can be reached.
"I think the government is aware of that and as we progress through the detail, as we have done today and on previous occasions, we hope they will listen to our concerns and shift on those crucial red line issues."
Despite speculation Mrs May was set to offer Labour a temporary customs union with the EU, Ms Long-Bailey said: "They haven't moved on any of their previous positions as yet, so we're waiting to see if we can flesh out more detail and move towards some form of a consensus later this week."
A Downing Street spokesman said: "Today's meeting was constructive and detailed.
"The teams have agreed to meet again for follow-up talks tomorrow afternoon, recognising the need to resolve the current Brexit deadlock in parliament."
Mrs May has so far failed three times to win MPs' support for her Brexit deal, prompting her to extend the Article 50 negotiating period until 31 October.
The original date for the UK's exit from the EU was at the end of March.
The prime minister's spokesman said Mrs May regrets the UK is now having to hold the EU elections, but insisted the government was still hopeful of finalising a Brexit deal this summer.
He said: "On the basis of advice in relation to parliamentary timetables, we will look to complete this ideally by 30 June, but if not then, by summer recess."
Parliament usually has its summer recess towards the end of July.
Pressure is growing on Mrs May to reveal a firm date for her personal departure from 10 Downing Street, amid festering Tory resentment at her failure to take the UK out of the EU on the date she promised, as well as last week's dismal Conservative performance in local elections.
Mrs May met with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of Tories' 1922 committee, on Tuesday after a request from the group for "clarity" about her resignation timetable.
The prime minister's spokesman said he was unaware of any change to Mrs May's intent to stand down after a Brexit deal is passed.
Demonstrating the anger on Tory benches at the PM's failure to have delivered Brexit, requiring the need to take part in the EU elections, Conservative MP Tom Pursglove posted on Twitter: "Simply shouldn't be happening. There's no getting away from the fact we could have left by now.
"Nothing could have stopped us leaving on 29 March, had the PM made that call.
"People will be furious being asked to vote in elections they never wanted and which shouldn't be on."