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| Brexit: EU's Guy Verhofstadt welcomes Jeremy Corbyn's offer to Theresa May | Brexit: EU's Guy Verhofstadt welcomes Jeremy Corbyn's offer to Theresa May |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn's letter setting out his party's demands for supporting a Brexit deal has been welcomed by the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator. | Jeremy Corbyn's letter setting out his party's demands for supporting a Brexit deal has been welcomed by the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator. |
| Guy Verhofstadt said "the broadest possible majority" was needed for a Brexit deal in the UK and "cross-party co-operation is the way forward". | Guy Verhofstadt said "the broadest possible majority" was needed for a Brexit deal in the UK and "cross-party co-operation is the way forward". |
| But Mr Corbyn's stance has upset Labour supporters of another referendum. | But Mr Corbyn's stance has upset Labour supporters of another referendum. |
| MP Owen Smith has said he and "lots of other people" were considering their future in the party as a result. | MP Owen Smith has said he and "lots of other people" were considering their future in the party as a result. |
| The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March when the two-year limit on withdrawal negotiations under the Article 50 process expires. | The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March when the two-year limit on withdrawal negotiations under the Article 50 process expires. |
| But Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to get the withdrawal deal she has negotiated with the EU through Parliament - MPs rejected it by a historic margin last month. | But Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to get the withdrawal deal she has negotiated with the EU through Parliament - MPs rejected it by a historic margin last month. |
| Mr Corbyn wrote to her on Wednesday spelling out his party's five demands for supporting a deal. These included a "permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union" aligned with the EU's customs rules, but with an agreement "that includes a UK say on future EU trade deals". | Mr Corbyn wrote to her on Wednesday spelling out his party's five demands for supporting a deal. These included a "permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union" aligned with the EU's customs rules, but with an agreement "that includes a UK say on future EU trade deals". |
| The letter does not mention previous demands that any deal must deliver the "exact same benefits" that membership of the single market and customs union currently does - effectively scrapping the party's "six tests" that had been its Brexit policy. | The letter does not mention previous demands that any deal must deliver the "exact same benefits" that membership of the single market and customs union currently does - effectively scrapping the party's "six tests" that had been its Brexit policy. |
| Mrs May has been in Brussels holding talks with Mr Verhofstadt, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. | Mrs May has been in Brussels holding talks with Mr Verhofstadt, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. |
| Mr Verhofstadt told a press conference: "We can't have an agreement with uncertainty in the UK based on majorities of six, seven, eight or nine votes in the House of Commons. | Mr Verhofstadt told a press conference: "We can't have an agreement with uncertainty in the UK based on majorities of six, seven, eight or nine votes in the House of Commons. |
| "A cross-party co-operation is the way forward and I think I can say that we welcome also the letter that Jeremy Corbyn has written today to Mrs May to offer such a cross-party exit. | "A cross-party co-operation is the way forward and I think I can say that we welcome also the letter that Jeremy Corbyn has written today to Mrs May to offer such a cross-party exit. |
| "It's important now that this leads to a position in the UK that has the broadest possible majority, so that we can conclude these negotiations." | "It's important now that this leads to a position in the UK that has the broadest possible majority, so that we can conclude these negotiations." |
| 'Break the deadlock' | 'Break the deadlock' |
| An EU source said that European Council President Donald Tusk had described Mr Corbyn's letter as a "promising way" out of the impasse. | |
| However, it was criticised by Labour members of the People's Vote campaign for another EU referendum, who said Mr Corbyn had gone back on a commitment to back a public vote, if he cannot force a general election. | However, it was criticised by Labour members of the People's Vote campaign for another EU referendum, who said Mr Corbyn had gone back on a commitment to back a public vote, if he cannot force a general election. |
| Mr Smith, who challenged Mr Corbyn for the Labour leadership in 2016, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "At the moment, I may be asked by the Labour Party to row in behind a policy decision that they know, and the government knows, is going to make the people I represent poorer and - more fundamentally actually - is at odds with the internationalist, social democratic values I believe in." | Mr Smith, who challenged Mr Corbyn for the Labour leadership in 2016, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "At the moment, I may be asked by the Labour Party to row in behind a policy decision that they know, and the government knows, is going to make the people I represent poorer and - more fundamentally actually - is at odds with the internationalist, social democratic values I believe in." |
| Another pro-EU Labour MP, Chuka Umunna, said: "This is not opposition, it is the facilitation of a deal which will make this country poorer." | Another pro-EU Labour MP, Chuka Umunna, said: "This is not opposition, it is the facilitation of a deal which will make this country poorer." |
| But Labour's Stephen Kinnock, who backs the "Norway Plus" model of a close economic partnership with the EU, welcomed Mr Corbyn's letter, tweeting: "This can break the deadlock." | But Labour's Stephen Kinnock, who backs the "Norway Plus" model of a close economic partnership with the EU, welcomed Mr Corbyn's letter, tweeting: "This can break the deadlock." |
| And the Conservative former cabinet minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who also favours a Norway-style agreement, said it could be the basis of a cross-party deal. | And the Conservative former cabinet minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who also favours a Norway-style agreement, said it could be the basis of a cross-party deal. |
| Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, told the BBC: "What this letter does is to set out in clear terms that the prime minister needs to abandon her Brexit red lines. | Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, told the BBC: "What this letter does is to set out in clear terms that the prime minister needs to abandon her Brexit red lines. |
| "It does not rule out the option of a second referendum - a public vote - and Jeremy Corbyn will be writing to members today to remind them about that." | "It does not rule out the option of a second referendum - a public vote - and Jeremy Corbyn will be writing to members today to remind them about that." |
| A senior No 10 source said the government was "looking at those proposals but there are obviously very considerable points of difference that exist between us. | A senior No 10 source said the government was "looking at those proposals but there are obviously very considerable points of difference that exist between us. |
| "The PM continues to believe an independent trade policy is one of the key advantages of Brexit." | "The PM continues to believe an independent trade policy is one of the key advantages of Brexit." |