Corbyn - I'm waiting for May to move #Brexit 'red lines'

A deal with Corbyn could be May’s last chance to deliver Brexit without either a long delay or leaving with no deal at all. But Corbyn said the prime minister had yet to show the flexibility that Labour would need to say yes.

“I’m waiting to see the red lines move,” he told the BBC. “I hope we can reach a decision in parliament this week which will prevent a crashing out.”

May’s decision to seek an agreement with Corbyn was an astounding reversal after months of saying her plan for Brexit was the only possible course. It reflects weeks of high drama in parliament that saw May’s deal rejected by a historic majority but no agreement emerge on an alternative plan.

While both major parties have said they are committed to carrying out the results of Britain’s 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU, Labour has long demanded a softer break than May has been willing to consider.

In particular, Labour seeks a customs union with the EU after Britain leaves, which would cross one of the “red lines” May set out at the start of negotiations by preventing Britain from setting its own trade tariffs.

Many Labour lawmakers also want a second referendum on the terms of Brexit, which May says would be a fundamental threat to Britain’s democracy after the vote to leave. Her decision to open talks with Labour infuriated Brexit supporters in May’s Conservative party and divided her cabinet.

With time running out, May has asked EU leaders to postpone Britain’s exit from the bloc until 30 June. The EU, which gave her a two-week extension the last time she asked, insists she must first show a viable plan to secure agreement on her thrice-rejected divorce deal in the British parliament.

EU leaders have also indicated they would be more likely to offer a longer extension of up to a year, to avoid setting a firm new deadline in a few months’ time that would cause yet another cliff-edge crisis.

While both major parties have said they are committed to carrying out the results of Britain’s 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU, Labour has long demanded a softer break than May has been willing to consider.

In particular, Labour seeks a customs union with the EU after Britain leaves, which would cross one of the “red lines” May set out at the start of negotiations by preventing Britain from setting its own trade tariffs.

Many Labour lawmakers also want a second referendum on the terms of Brexit, which May says would be a fundamental threat to Britain’s democracy after the vote to leave. Her decision to open talks with Labour infuriated Brexit supporters in May’s Conservative party and divided her cabinet.

With time running out, May has asked EU leaders to postpone Britain’s exit from the bloc until June 30. The EU, which gave her a two-week extension the last time she asked, insists she must first show a viable plan to secure agreement on her thrice-rejected divorce deal in the British parliament.

EU leaders have also indicated they would be more likely to offer a longer extension of up to a year, to avoid setting a firm new deadline in a few months’ time that would cause yet another cliff-edge crisis.

Finance Minister Philip Hammond told reporters in Bucharest on Saturday he was “optimistic” of reaching some form of agreement with Labour and that the government had no red lines in the talks.

Hammond said he expected more exchanges of documents on Saturday between the government and Labour in a bid to reach a deal. He also signalled optimism about next Wednesday’s EU summit (10 April), saying most EU states agreed on a need to delay Brexit.