The government is refusing to consider changes to Theresa May’s Brexit deal, Labour’s Keir Starmer has warned.
Following two days of talks between Labour and the Conservatives in a bid to break the Brexit impasse in the Commons, the shadow Brexit secretary said the government was not proposing to change the current deal.
“In particular it’s not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the political declaration,” Starmer said, referencing the part of the deal which sets out the framework for the future relationship between the UK and the EU.
Calling the situation “disappointing”, Starmer added: “We want the talks to continue and we’ve written in those terms to the government, but we do need change if we’re going to compromise.”
Meanwhile, a Labour Party spokesman said the prime minister must offer “genuine changes” to her deal in a bid to find an alternative that can “win support in parliament and bring the country together”.
But prisons minister Rory Stewart denied the claims, saying that “of course we are prepared to compromise” on the political declaration.
There is “quite a lot of life” left in the process of talks with Labour, he told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme.
“I know that there are going to be tensions,” he said, but added: “In truth the positions of the two parties are very, very close and where there’s good will it should be possible to get this done and get it done relatively quickly.
May revealed on Tuesday she would be inviting Jeremy Corbyn and his team to discuss Brexit options to put to parliament after MPs once again rejected her deal last week.
Following a meeting on Wednesday, it emerged the pair had agreed a “programme of work”, with a spokesperson for No 10 suggesting both leaders had shown “flexibility” in the discussions.
Responding to Starmer’s comments, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “We have made serious proposals in talks this week, and are prepared to pursue changes to the political declaration in order to deliver a deal that is acceptable to both sides.
“We are ready to hold further detailed discussions this weekend in order to seek any such changes in the run up to European Council on Wednesday.
“The government is determined to work constructively to deliver the Brexit people voted for, and avoid participation in the European parliamentary elections.”