May Bashes Corbyn For Refusing To Join Dialogue On Brexit, Says Door Still Open

Fakhir Rizvi Published January 18, 2019 | 01:57 AM

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2019) UK Prime Minister Theresa May lashed out at Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn on Thursday for his rejecting her offer to meet to jointly find "a way forward on Brexit" and also urging his fellow members of parliament to follow his suit.

Next Monday, May is poised to present a new plan on Brexit to the House of Commons after the latter rejected her previous plan in a 432-202 vote earlier in the week. To "identify a way forward that can secure the backing of the House," the prime minister invited the leaders of parliamentary parties for talks. Earlier on Thursday, Corbyn sent a letter to May, stating that "the starting point for any talks about how to break the Brexit deadlock must be that the threat of a disastrous 'no deal' outcome is ruled out."

"I note that you have said that 'ruling out' no deal is a precondition before we can meet, but that is an impossible condition because it is not within the Government's power to rule out no deal," May wrote in a reply letter to Corbyn, bashing him for asking other Labour members of parliament "not to seek a solution with the Government.

She clarified that the United Kingdom is to leave the European Union without a deal on March 29 "unless Parliament either agrees a deal with the EU or the UK revokes article 50 and chooses to stay."

According to May, there are, therefore, only two options to avoid a no-deal scenario � either to vote for a deal or to revoke Article 50 altogether.

"I believe it would be wrong to overturn the referendum result," she stressed.

The prime minister also added that she did not "believe that the EU would agree to extend our membership simply to allow further debate on Brexit in the UK."

May reminded Corbyn about his own belief in "the importance of dialogue in politics," adding that she "sincerely" urged him to accept" her invitation.

According to May, all the other parliamentary leaders of UK parties agreed to join the dialogue on the issue.