LONDON — In a surprise move, Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday offered to reach out to the opposition Labour Party on a joint plan for Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, and said she would seek a second delay from the European Union. Mrs. May made the announcement after her cabinet had met for seven hours amid a growing sense of crisis over Brexit, as the process of withdrawing from the bloc is known. Parliament is deadlocked on the issue, and lawmakers are increasingly concerned about a disorderly, possibly economically damaging exit without an agreement. The initiation of a cross-party effort was a significant strategic pivot for Mrs. May, who has repeatedly pressed her own Brexit blueprint only for it to be rejected by Parliament three times. But how and whether her new plan will work — and whether the European Union will grant her request for another delay — remained unclear.

Source: New York Times April 02, 2019 17:44 UTC