Brexit deal prospects in doubt in 'bad faith' spat

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday urged Labour to do a deal on Brexit this week, but the main opposition party accused her of acting in bad faith.

May insisted the clobbering both main parties took in last week's English local elections increased the necessity of finding an EU divorce deal that a majority of MPs could get behind.

However, Labour finance spokesman John McDonnell, who is leading for the left-wing party in the Brexit compromise talks with May's centre-right Conservative government, said he had no trust left in the prime minister.

The Conservatives and Labour both lost ground in Thursday's English local authority polls as voters vented their frustration at the Brexit impasse dominating British politics.

Opinion polls suggest they are on course for an even worse pasting in the European Parliament elections, which take place in Britain on May 23.

May negotiated a withdrawal agreement with Brussels last year but British MPs repeatedly voted it down, with large numbers of her own Conservative backbenchers joining the opposition in opposing it.

"Let's listen to what the voters said in the elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Let's do a deal," May wrote in The Mail on Sunday newspaper.

"We have to find a way to break the deadlock -- and I believe the results of the local elections give fresh urgency to this.

"We will keep negotiating, and keep trying to find a way through."
"So it is disappointing the prime minister has broken that, and I think it is an act of bad faith."
Asked if he trusted May, he said: "No. Sorry. Not after this weekend when she has blown the confidentiality we had, and I actually think she has jeopardised the negotiation for her own personal protection."
"Millions of people would give up on both Labour and the Conservatives."