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| Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May Try a New Approach: Cooperation | |
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| LONDON — After doing battle for years over how to withdraw Britain from the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May and the opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, met on Wednesday as potential but wary partners, following her stunning decision to reverse field and seek Mr. Corbyn’s help to get a plan through Parliament. | LONDON — After doing battle for years over how to withdraw Britain from the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May and the opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, met on Wednesday as potential but wary partners, following her stunning decision to reverse field and seek Mr. Corbyn’s help to get a plan through Parliament. |
| The two-hour meeting in a wood paneled office in Parliament ended on an optimistic note, with the parties promising to appoint teams to continue the negotiations. | The two-hour meeting in a wood paneled office in Parliament ended on an optimistic note, with the parties promising to appoint teams to continue the negotiations. |
| “Today’s talks were constructive, with both sides showing flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close,” the government said in a statement. “We have agreed a program of work to ensure we deliver for the British people, protecting jobs and security.” | “Today’s talks were constructive, with both sides showing flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close,” the government said in a statement. “We have agreed a program of work to ensure we deliver for the British people, protecting jobs and security.” |
| There is much work to be done. | There is much work to be done. |
| Mr. Corbyn, a left-wing critic of the European Union, has played coy throughout the preparations for the withdrawal, or Brexit, pledging not to do anything to help the “Tory Brexit” and remaining vague about his own preferences. While he has indicated a willingness to work with the prime minister, the Labour Party has laid down six tests for Brexit, some of them seemingly designed to make such cooperation impossible. | Mr. Corbyn, a left-wing critic of the European Union, has played coy throughout the preparations for the withdrawal, or Brexit, pledging not to do anything to help the “Tory Brexit” and remaining vague about his own preferences. While he has indicated a willingness to work with the prime minister, the Labour Party has laid down six tests for Brexit, some of them seemingly designed to make such cooperation impossible. |
| One of those tests, for example, calls for a deal that will “deliver the ‘exact same benefits’ as we currently have as members of the Single Market and Customs Union.” That would almost certainly rule out significantly limiting the immigration of European Union citizens to Britain, breaching the reddest of red lines that Conservatives have vowed not to cross. | One of those tests, for example, calls for a deal that will “deliver the ‘exact same benefits’ as we currently have as members of the Single Market and Customs Union.” That would almost certainly rule out significantly limiting the immigration of European Union citizens to Britain, breaching the reddest of red lines that Conservatives have vowed not to cross. |
| For months, Mrs. May worked sedulously to sell the withdrawal plan she negotiated with the European Union to the strongly pro-Brexit faction of her party, and to minimize the need for opposition support. Any other approach, she feared, could tear her party apart. | For months, Mrs. May worked sedulously to sell the withdrawal plan she negotiated with the European Union to the strongly pro-Brexit faction of her party, and to minimize the need for opposition support. Any other approach, she feared, could tear her party apart. |
| That fear will be tested now, with the nation’s political establishment bracing for a Conservative backlash, possibly in the form of mass cabinet resignations and a new round of calls for her to resign. Neither has happened yet. | That fear will be tested now, with the nation’s political establishment bracing for a Conservative backlash, possibly in the form of mass cabinet resignations and a new round of calls for her to resign. Neither has happened yet. |
| Yet, when Mrs. May answered questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, she heard more skepticism and outright opposition from her own Conservative ranks than from Mr. Corbyn’s Labour Party. | Yet, when Mrs. May answered questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, she heard more skepticism and outright opposition from her own Conservative ranks than from Mr. Corbyn’s Labour Party. |
| Several Conservatives asked Mrs. May how she could justify working with Mr. Corbyn, whom some of them described as a Marxist. | Several Conservatives asked Mrs. May how she could justify working with Mr. Corbyn, whom some of them described as a Marxist. |
| “Last week in this chamber, the prime minister said the biggest threat to our standing in the world, to our defense and to our economy is the leader of the opposition,” said Lee Rowley, a Conservative member. “In her judgment, what now qualifies him for involvement in Brexit?” | “Last week in this chamber, the prime minister said the biggest threat to our standing in the world, to our defense and to our economy is the leader of the opposition,” said Lee Rowley, a Conservative member. “In her judgment, what now qualifies him for involvement in Brexit?” |
| She gamely replied, “I believe what the public want is for us to work across this house to find a solution that delivers on Brexit.” | She gamely replied, “I believe what the public want is for us to work across this house to find a solution that delivers on Brexit.” |
| And she noted with some exasperation that “the house has rejected every proposal that has gone before it so far,” including hers, leaving the government with few choices. | And she noted with some exasperation that “the house has rejected every proposal that has gone before it so far,” including hers, leaving the government with few choices. |
| While there were no major cabinet defections Wednesday morning, before Mrs. May faced a weekly questioning in Parliament, a junior minister in her government, Nigel Adams — an assistant Conservative whip and parliamentary under secretary for Wales — stepped down. | While there were no major cabinet defections Wednesday morning, before Mrs. May faced a weekly questioning in Parliament, a junior minister in her government, Nigel Adams — an assistant Conservative whip and parliamentary under secretary for Wales — stepped down. |
| Late in the afternoon a second junior minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, whose job it had been to help Britain prepare for a no-deal exit, also quit, saying he could not support delaying Brexit any further. | Late in the afternoon a second junior minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, whose job it had been to help Britain prepare for a no-deal exit, also quit, saying he could not support delaying Brexit any further. |
| In a year that has already seen a remarkable breakdown in party discipline, the divisions over Brexit pose the gravest threat in recent years to the stability and unity of both major parties, and about a dozen lawmakers have recently quit them. | In a year that has already seen a remarkable breakdown in party discipline, the divisions over Brexit pose the gravest threat in recent years to the stability and unity of both major parties, and about a dozen lawmakers have recently quit them. |
| If Parliament cannot approve any agreement with the European Union on Britain’s departure, then either Britain will leave on April 12 without a pact in place, or Mrs. May will have to ask the bloc to extend the deadline. A majority in Parliament has already voted to oppose leaving without a deal, which economists, business leaders and many politicians have warned would do severe economic harm. | If Parliament cannot approve any agreement with the European Union on Britain’s departure, then either Britain will leave on April 12 without a pact in place, or Mrs. May will have to ask the bloc to extend the deadline. A majority in Parliament has already voted to oppose leaving without a deal, which economists, business leaders and many politicians have warned would do severe economic harm. |
| European leaders warned on Wednesday that whatever the state of talks between Mrs. May and Mr. Corbyn, Parliament had nine days to get behind the core of Mrs. May’s plan if it wanted to leave the bloc with a deal in the coming months. | European leaders warned on Wednesday that whatever the state of talks between Mrs. May and Mr. Corbyn, Parliament had nine days to get behind the core of Mrs. May’s plan if it wanted to leave the bloc with a deal in the coming months. |
| Without any agreement in Parliament by April 12, Britain faces either a no-deal exit or a long extension that would force it to join the European elections in late May. | Without any agreement in Parliament by April 12, Britain faces either a no-deal exit or a long extension that would force it to join the European elections in late May. |
| “Twelfth of April is the final date for possible approval,” Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, said. “If the House of Commons does not adopt a stance before that date, no extension — no short-term extension — will be possible.” | “Twelfth of April is the final date for possible approval,” Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, said. “If the House of Commons does not adopt a stance before that date, no extension — no short-term extension — will be possible.” |
| But Mr. Juncker said the door was open to continuing to negotiate the bloc’s future trading relationship with Britain. That part of the deal, known as the political declaration, is likely to be the main area of contention in Mrs. May and Mr. Corbyn’s talks, with the Labour Party having committed to keeping Britain in the European customs union and close to the single market. Mrs. May has refused to do either, but on Tuesday said she was open to discussion. | But Mr. Juncker said the door was open to continuing to negotiate the bloc’s future trading relationship with Britain. That part of the deal, known as the political declaration, is likely to be the main area of contention in Mrs. May and Mr. Corbyn’s talks, with the Labour Party having committed to keeping Britain in the European customs union and close to the single market. Mrs. May has refused to do either, but on Tuesday said she was open to discussion. |
| The prime minister seems to be hoping to patch together a workable deal before a European Union summit meeting on April 10, where she would request a delay just until May 22, shortly before elections for the European Parliament that neither she nor the bloc want Britain to participate in. | The prime minister seems to be hoping to patch together a workable deal before a European Union summit meeting on April 10, where she would request a delay just until May 22, shortly before elections for the European Parliament that neither she nor the bloc want Britain to participate in. |
| Mrs. May has not been able to to win parliamentary passage of the withdrawal agreement she negotiated with the European Union, which would keep Britain closely aligned with the bloc until the end of 2020, when it would leave the customs union and single market. | Mrs. May has not been able to to win parliamentary passage of the withdrawal agreement she negotiated with the European Union, which would keep Britain closely aligned with the bloc until the end of 2020, when it would leave the customs union and single market. |
| With neither her own party nor the Parliament so far able to unite around any approach, the prime minister announced on Tuesday night that she would try to reach agreement with Mr. Corbyn on a deal. She will meet with both him and the leaders of the Scottish National Party, the third-largest bloc in Parliament, which opposes Brexit. | With neither her own party nor the Parliament so far able to unite around any approach, the prime minister announced on Tuesday night that she would try to reach agreement with Mr. Corbyn on a deal. She will meet with both him and the leaders of the Scottish National Party, the third-largest bloc in Parliament, which opposes Brexit. |
| That would inevitably mean a “softer” Brexit than the one she negotiated, keeping Britain deeply enmeshed in the bloc’s customs and trade rules — a violation of the Conservative Party’s election promises. | That would inevitably mean a “softer” Brexit than the one she negotiated, keeping Britain deeply enmeshed in the bloc’s customs and trade rules — a violation of the Conservative Party’s election promises. |
| “I think actually there are a number of areas we can agree on with relation to Brexit,” Mrs. May said on Wednesday. | “I think actually there are a number of areas we can agree on with relation to Brexit,” Mrs. May said on Wednesday. |
| Before talking with Mrs. May on Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Corbyn met with Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland and a fierce opponent of Brexit. After the meeting, Ms. Sturgeon said she would “be surprised and very disappointed” if Mr. Corbyn agreed to a Brexit deal that ruled out a second public referendum on leaving the bloc. | Before talking with Mrs. May on Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Corbyn met with Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland and a fierce opponent of Brexit. After the meeting, Ms. Sturgeon said she would “be surprised and very disappointed” if Mr. Corbyn agreed to a Brexit deal that ruled out a second public referendum on leaving the bloc. |
| A soft Brexit without membership in the bloc — and thus no voice in its decision-making — is anathema to many if not most Conservatives, lawmakers and the rank-and-file party members alike, who support a more complete break from Europe, even to the point of a no-deal departure. To say the least, they did not welcome the prime minister’s strategic volte face on Tuesday. | A soft Brexit without membership in the bloc — and thus no voice in its decision-making — is anathema to many if not most Conservatives, lawmakers and the rank-and-file party members alike, who support a more complete break from Europe, even to the point of a no-deal departure. To say the least, they did not welcome the prime minister’s strategic volte face on Tuesday. |
| Referring to Mr. Corbyn, Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading Conservative advocate of a “hard” Brexit, told reporters Tuesday night, “I think getting the support of a known Marxist is not likely to instill confidence in the Conservatives.” | Referring to Mr. Corbyn, Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading Conservative advocate of a “hard” Brexit, told reporters Tuesday night, “I think getting the support of a known Marxist is not likely to instill confidence in the Conservatives.” |
| Boris Johnson, a former foreign secretary who quit the cabinet to protest a withdrawal he though was too soft, wrote on Twitter that the government had “concluded that any deal is better than no deal, and this is truly a very bad deal indeed — one that leaves us being run by the EU.” | Boris Johnson, a former foreign secretary who quit the cabinet to protest a withdrawal he though was too soft, wrote on Twitter that the government had “concluded that any deal is better than no deal, and this is truly a very bad deal indeed — one that leaves us being run by the EU.” |
| Mrs. May’s outreach to Labour followed a marathon cabinet meeting on Tuesday that was, according to British news media reports, very contentious. | Mrs. May’s outreach to Labour followed a marathon cabinet meeting on Tuesday that was, according to British news media reports, very contentious. |
| “Cabinet was not in favor of this,” Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader and former cabinet member, told the BBC on Wednesday. If the government tries, successfully or not, to work with Mr. Corbyn, he said, “they’ve legitimized him and that’s a real fear for many, many of us in the party.” | “Cabinet was not in favor of this,” Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader and former cabinet member, told the BBC on Wednesday. If the government tries, successfully or not, to work with Mr. Corbyn, he said, “they’ve legitimized him and that’s a real fear for many, many of us in the party.” |
| Parliament has defeated Mrs. May’s proposed deal with the bloc three times, by large margins. But it has also rejected, in a series of nonbinding votes, several alternatives put forward by members, leaving it unclear what approach could command majority support. | Parliament has defeated Mrs. May’s proposed deal with the bloc three times, by large margins. But it has also rejected, in a series of nonbinding votes, several alternatives put forward by members, leaving it unclear what approach could command majority support. |
| Mrs. May even offered to step down, allowing her party to select a new prime minister, if her deal won approval, but that gambit failed, too. | Mrs. May even offered to step down, allowing her party to select a new prime minister, if her deal won approval, but that gambit failed, too. |