A new anti-Brexit political party launched its campaign Tuesday for next month’s European Parliament elections as British lawmakers returned from their Easter break with rumours of fresh bids to topple Prime Minister Theresa May.
Change UK, formed by breakaway MPs from Britain’s two main parties disgruntled at their stances on Brexit, favours remaining in the European Union and wants to hold another referendum.
Meanwhile the government and the main opposition Labour Party resumed talks Tuesday in an attempt to find agreement over Brexit after weeks of negotiations showed little signs of progress.
Britain is mired in a deep political crisis over its departure from the EU, three years after a divisive referendum that voted to pull Britain out of the bloc after nearly half a century.
May was forced to ask EU leaders earlier this month to postpone Brexit for a second time – from April 12 to October 31 – after MPs repeatedly rejected the divorce deal she has struck with Brussels. She is still hoping to persuade Labour to support the plan so the country can leave in time to avoid taking part in the European Parliament elections on May 23.
But with one month to go, few are expecting a consensus to emerge and May’s office on Tuesday said talks had been “difficult in some areas, such as in relation to the timetable for the negotiations.”
But Labour leader Jeremy Corbin Tuesday said the government can’t keep presenting the same approach.
“We’ll continue putting our case but quite honestly there’s got to be change in the government’s approach,” said Corbyn.
“They cannot keep on just regurgitating what has already been emphatically rejected three times by Parliament, there’s got to be a change.” – ‘Impelled to stand’ –
In the meantime, Britain’s political parties old and new are scrambling to organise for the upcoming polls.
The new party Change UK Tuesday unveiled a roster of candidates at an event in Bristol in southwest England.
The list includes former Polish deputy prime minister Jan Vincent Rostowski and prominent columnist Rachel Johnson – the sister of former foreign minister and leading Brexiteer Boris Johnson.
