Brexit: May wants cross-party talks to conclude before end of next week, government sources suggest – live news

All the latest from Downing Street lobby briefing as Labour’s NEC meets to decide party’s manifesto pledge on second referendum for the European elections 2.53pm BST John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, has said that Jeremy Hunt’s comment this morning about Tory MPs not accepting a customs union (see 9.21am) makes it harder for Labour to have confidence in the cross-party talks process.This is hardly a helpful or constructive intervention whilst we are in the middle of cross party talks to protect our economy & does not inspire confidence that if a deal is agreed it would be successfully entrenched and last any longer than the next Tory leadership election. https://t.co/BHspSQQx0q 2.18pm BST With the Labour party due to issue a new statement about its position on Brexit and a second referendum, it is worth summarising how this policy has evolved over the last two years.This is not as straightforward as it sounds. It is not unusual for political parties to resort to fudge when articulating policy so as to ensure that, on issues where opinion is divided, people can unite behind a compromise. A compromise does not have to be a fudge, but it does get fudgy if it involves key issues being left unresolved.If we cannot get a general election Labour must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote. If the government is confident in negotiating a deal that working people, our economy and communities will benefit from they should not be afraid to put that deal to the public.We will back a public vote in order to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit or a disastrous no deal outcome.That this House will not allow in this parliament the implementation and ratification of any withdrawal agreement and any framework for the future relationship unless and until they have been approved by the people of the United Kingdom in a confirmatory public vote.Our conference agreed that if we cannot get a general election we would support all options remaining on the table, including a public vote. Labour is supporting the Beckett-Kyle-Wilson amendment (even where it can be read as going beyond our policy) to keep the option of a public vote on the table in order to stop a disastrous no deal or May’s unacceptable deal.Labour’s priority is to deliver our credible Brexit plan which respects our commitment to accept the result of the referendum. Today we are are supporting all options that enable us to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit or no-deal being forced on the country. Continue reading…
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