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May Cuts Down to Size Corbyn's Accusations Against Conservative Gov’t

LONDON (Sputnik) – Leader of the UK opposition Labour party Jeremy Corbyn said Tuesday that the incompetence of the Conservative government under Prime Minister Theresa May was harming UK society, because the cabinet was failing to fulfill various Brexit-related commitments, such as disclosing the white paper on post-withdrawal UK-EU relations.
Sputnik

During Wednesday’s session of the Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Corbyn engaged in a spat with May concerning the publication of the delayed white paper on London’s post-Brexit relations with Brussels. The tensions rose after May refused to answer a question about when the document would be released.

READ MORE: PM May Accused of "Contempt of Parliament" in Attempt to Overturn Brexit Defeats

"When it comes to Brexit, this government has delivered more delays and more cancellations than Northern Rail [train operator]. The government’s white paper is delayed, its customs proposals have been canceled, and it has ripped up its own timetable, just like our shambolic privatized railways. This government’s incompetence threatens our economy, businesses, jobs, and our communities," Corbyn said.

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May replied by pressing Corbyn to rule out a second Brexit referendum and stressing that said she was committed to leading the United Kingdom out of the European Union by March 2019. The prime minister also pointed out that though the Labour party had backed the referendum and triggering the withdrawal, they had also been obstructing the Brexit process at every stage.

READ MORE: UK Labor Leader Corbyn Warns Against Brexit With Hard Irish Border

In May, UK Brexit Secretary David Davis said the government would publish detailed explanations of the cabinet’s positions on Brexit before the EU Council summit, scheduled for late June.

In a joint letter last week, UK parliamentarians called on Corbyn to back a second Brexit referendum.

London and Brussels have been in talks on the former's withdrawal from the latter since June 2017. Despite what the parties called a breakthrough in the negotiations in March, when they managed to agree on significant issues, such as the transition period, they have noted a lack of major progress after their talks in April.

The United Kingdom and the European Union currently have to agree on such pressing issues as future trade relations. Both EU and UK companies have been calling on the UK authorities for clarity in this area, saying that the current lack of stability prevents them from operating effectively.

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