MP, Labour’s Shadow Brexit
Secretary, has written to calling on him urgently to
request an additional emergency round of talks to try and reach
an agreement with EU negotiators before next week’s crucial EU
Council meeting.
“Today’s press conference confirms that the Government has failed
to meet the target for this round of negotiations.
“Ministers have wasted months of the Brexit talks fighting
amongst themselves. This increases the chances that Britain will
crash out of the EU without a deal. That would be catastrophic
for jobs and living standards and must be rejected as a viable
option.
“That is why I have written to calling on the Government
urgently to request an additional emergency round of talks with
EU negotiators in the coming days to try and reach an agreement
before next week’s EU Council meeting.
“The Government must recognise the gravity of the situation. They
must drop their ideological red lines and work round the clock to
find a resolution to the current situation.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
Full text of the
letter:
Dear David
Article 50 negotiations between the United Kingdom and
the European Union
I write regarding the Article 50 negotiations between the UK
Government and the European Union (EU) following today’s press
conference.
The announcement of further progress on the rights of EU citizens
and the issue of Northern Ireland is welcome. It is also
encouraging to see a more constructive tone in the talks.
However, I am deeply concerned that more than six months on from
the triggering of Article 50 this round of discussions has ended
without an agreement, with the European Union warning of a
“disturbing deadlock” over the divorce settlement. It now looks
likely that the EU Council next week will not be able to agree
negotiations have proceeded sufficiently to open up trade talks.
The deadlock in negotiations increases the risk of Britain
crashing out of the EU without a deal. That would be catastrophic
for jobs and living standards and must be rejected as a viable
option.
That is why Labour is calling on the Government urgently to
request an additional emergency round of talks with EU
negotiators in the coming days to try and reach an agreement
before next week’s EU Council meeting. The Government must
recognise the gravity of the situation, must drop
the ideological red lines and work round the clock to find a
resolution to the current situation.
Given the significant interest in this matter, I am making this
letter public.
Yours sincerely
MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European
Union
