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PM May Blames Corbyn for Dragging on Brexit Talks, Calls for ‘Urgent Progress’

© AP Photo / Alastair GrantBritish Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a media conference during an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, Dec. 14, 2018.
British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a media conference during an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. - Sputnik International
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On Tuesday, The Guardian reported that UK Prime Minister Theresa May plans to submit the withdrawal and implementation bill, a key piece of Brexit legislation, for a vote in the country’s parliament within the next 10 days.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has blamed the country’s Labour Party and its leader Jeremy Corbyn for deliberately dragging their feet on Brexit negotiations.

May’s spokesman was quoted by UK media as saying that Prime Minister May “said discussions with Labour had been serious but had also been difficult in some areas, such as in relation to the timetable for the negotiations”.

READ MORE: UK's May Says No-Deal Preparations Must Continue Despite Brexit Delay — Reports

“The PM said the Government’s position was that progress needed to be made urgently as it was vital to deliver on the result of the referendum and for the UK to leave the European Union as soon as possible,” the spokesman underscored.

Corbyn, in turn, rejected the accusations that he is dragging out cross-party talks on Brexit, berating the government for its unwillingness to shift red lines.

“We’ll continue putting our case but quite honestly, there’s got to be change in the Government’s approach. They cannot keep on just regurgitating what has already been emphatically rejected three times by Parliament, there’s got to be a change,” Corbyn pointed out.

Earlier, he claimed that Tories in the UK government are seeking to damage talks with Labour because they want to "do a deal" with US President Donald Trump.

READ MORE: 'Reasonable Solution to a Complex Problem' – MontLake CEO on May's Brexit Deal

Corbyn also accused Theresa May and her ministers of “dithering” over their Brexit plan.

“The government doesn't appear to be shifting the red lines because they've got a big pressure in the Tory party that actually wants to turn this country into a deregulated, low-tax society which will do a deal with Trump. I don't want to do that,” Corbyn said.

The statement came after The Guardian cited government sources as saying that May is likely to have parliament vote on the withdrawal and implementation bill (WAB) in the next 10 days.

The WAB should be passed by the parliament so that May’s Brexit deal can be ratified, according to the newspaper.

READ MORE: 'Stand Down': UK Gov't Abandons £1.5bn Preparations for Imminent No-Deal Brexit

May launched talks with the opposition Labour Party shortly after the government's withdrawal agreement was rejected by the UK parliament for the third time in March.

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Brexit Delay 'Leads to More Chaos' – Political Commentator
Labour lawmakers have voted largely against the government's Brexit deal in the past, as the opposition proposed a closer alignment with the EU, including a customs union.

Originally, the UK was due to finalise its exit from the bloc on 29 March, but May's government failed to secure support for its withdrawal agreement before the deadline, prompting London to seek an extension to avoid a no-deal scenario.

Following the 10 April European Council special meeting, London received a flexible Brexit extension until 31 October.

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