Brexit talks: Andrea Leadsom says Government is working with Labour 'through gritted teeth' as negotiations expected to continue next week

Jacob Jarvis7 April 2019
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The Conservatives are working with Jeremy Corbyn over Brexit "through gritted teeth", Commons leader Andrea Leadsom has said.

Her comments come as negotiations between the two groups are expected to continue into next week.

Mrs Leadsom reiterated on Sunday the Prime Minister’s assertion the Conservatives had little choice but to compromise with the opposition if they wanted a Brexit deal.

"Working with Jeremy Corbyn is not something I want to do at all, it's not something the Prime Minister wants to do.

"But far worse than that would be to fail to deliver on Brexit, that would be the appalling thing.

Andrea Leadsom said she and the Prime Minister did not want to be working with Jeremy Corbyn
PA

"Specifically provided we are leaving the European Union then it is important that we compromise, that's what this is about and it is through gritted teeth. But nevertheless the most important thing is to actually leave the EU," she told the BBC's Andrew Marr show.

She would not specify in what ways the party looked like to adjust but said: “The Prime Minister will only seek to agree those things that still constitute Brexit.

“There are various different types of arrangement and those discussions are still ongoing.

"For me, whatever we deliver, it has to be Brexit."

Jeremy Corbyn's party said the government 'has not offered real change or compromise' so far
Anthony Devlin/Getty Images

Pressed on a customs union and whether having one equated to Brexit she said that “depends” on what any proposal looked like.

She also said that no deal might "not be nearly as bad as many like to think it would be", while reiterating her desire to fulfil the outcome of the 2016 referendum as opposed to having a second.

Theresa May has been criticised for working with Labour
Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

After a week of talks, which shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer described as “disappointing” last Friday, the two parties are set to take up negotiations again.

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, one of the Labour team in the cross-party talks, said further negotiations were planned.

However, she said it was "disappointing" there had not been movement on the Government's red lines.

"The overall mood is quite a positive and hopeful one," she told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show.

"The sad thing is at the moment we haven't seen overall any real changes to the deal, but we are hopeful that will change in coming days and we are willing to continue the talks as we know the Government are."

The teams were "keeping our diaries as free as possible", according to Ms Long-Bailey.

“We have had exchanges with the Government over the weekend, clarifying our position,” she added.

“They have been setting out theirs and hopefully at the beginning of next week we will be having further discussions".

Ms Long-Bailey explained there had been discussion of a lot of “technical detail” but said: "We haven't seen anything from Government that would suggest they are prepared to change any part of the deal going forward."

In regards to a potential second referendum she said there was no suggestion the Government was considering that as a step.

The Prime Minister said, in a statement on Saturday night, that it had been a necessity to coordinate with her counterpart Jeremy Corbyn.

She suggested Brexit may not happen should the two main parties not reach a consensus.

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