Labour has accused the government of failing to offer real change or compromise during talks to end the Brexit stalemate - as new exit dates are considered.

In a statement following more talks between the opposition and a team appointed by Theresa May to agree a way forward, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: "So far, the government isn't proposing any changes to the deal. In particular, it's not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the political declaration.

"Now obviously that's disappointing; compromise requires change.

"We want the talks to continue and we've written in those terms to the Government, but we do need change if we're going to compromise."

But Number 10 insists it has made "serious proposals" during the talks and is "prepared to pursue changes to the political declaration" and carry on with efforts over the weekend.


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Prisons minister Rory Stewart has said there is "quite a lot of life" left in the talks yet and that despite tensions, the two sides are "very, very close".

It comes as the prime minister wrote to EU Council President Donald Tusk to ask to delay Brexit until 30 June this year so British MPs could agree a withdrawal deal.

However, Mr Tusk has been formally telling officials from member countries to endorse a much longer extension - until 31 March 2020.

Mr Tusk told officials that the only "reasonable" way out of the Brexit deadlock in parliament is to allow another year for talks.

Image: Theresa May has asked for Labour's support to pass a deal

However, the bloc could offer a clause to allow the UK to leave early if a deal is struck.

Speaking to Sky News, an EU source said Mr Tusk told officials: "The only reasonable way out would be a long but flexible extension. I would call it a 'flextension'.

"How would it work in practice? We could give the UK a year-long extension, automatically terminated once the withdrawal agreement has been accepted and ratified by the House of Commons.

"And even if this were not possible, then the UK would still have enough time to rethink its Brexit strategy. Short extension if possible and a long one if necessary.

"It seems to be a good scenario for both sides, as it gives the UK all the necessary flexibility, while avoiding the need to meet every few weeks to further discuss Brexit extensions."

Requesting a much shorter extension until the end of June, Mrs May wrote: "If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated early.

Image: Theresa May's letter to Donald Tusk

"The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdrawal from the European Union before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections should this not prove possible.

"It is frustrating that we have not yet brought this process to a successful and orderly conclusion."

The letters have sparked anger on both sides of the Channel, with other European leaders and some British MPs unhappy about a potential extension.

Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, said the latest request was "unsurprising but unsatisfactory".

Mrs Foster said: "Exiting the EU has become chaotic because of intransigence in Brussels and ineffectiveness in London.

"The United Kingdom fighting the European elections almost three years after a clear majority voted to leave the EU sums up the disorganised and slapdash approach taken to negotiations by the prime minister."

She added that the DUP wants a "sensible deal which protects the union and respects the referendum result" - and warned it was "foolish" from a strategic point of view to take no deal off the table.

Image: European Council President Donald Tusk is looking to delay Brexit until 2020

Mrs Foster said: "The prime minister should not waste any extension by subcontracting the UK's future to Jeremy Corbyn."

Emmanuel Macron has said talks of further extension are "premature" and the French president wants a clear idea of the future plan by Tuesday.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the options to prevent no-deal are limited, adding the letter was not enough to give a further extension.

Sky News' Europe Correspondent Mark Stone said Mr Tusk's suggested "flextension" did not receive full backing at a meeting of ambassadors from the 27 remaining EU countries because of a tweet by Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Shortly before the meeting, Mr Rees-Mogg wrote: "If a long extension leaves us stuck in the EU we should be as difficult as possible.

"We could veto any increase in the budget, obstruct the putative EU army and block Mr Macron's integrationist schemes."

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Stone said the tweet was discussed at the ambassadors' meeting.

He added: "My sense is that ultimately the EU will grant the UK an extension. It may not be the short one that Mrs May wants to the end of June, but a longer one... but there is concern that the UK, over the course of this next year - if they get the extension - really could cause the EU trouble.

"As the French have been saying, it could infect the business of the EU as a bloc."

However, the Republic of Ireland's Leo Varadkar appeared to back Mr Tusk's suggestion, saying it would make more sense to offer a longer extension than a rolling one.

Mrs May had to set out future plans to the EU by this week, under the terms given by the bloc for the first Brexit extension, which is set to end at 11pm on 12 April.

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The South West of England may have to give formal notice for the European elections by 12 April, as the area includes Gibraltar, whose deadline is that day.

Other regions would have to publish notice by 15 April.

Image: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (centre), shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer and shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey have been in talks with the government

Tom Watson, Labour deputy leader, said the party has opened nominations for candidates for the European elections.

And Chuka Umunna, former Labour MP-turned The Independent Group member, confirmed his new group will also be preparing to field candidates in May elections.

He told Sky News: "In order to hold a people's vote we need a relatively long extension, so that is better from our point of view.

"We have now had two rounds of voting [indicative votes in the Commons] on each occasion a people's vote has topped the poll.

"We need to complete that voting, we've had group stages and we need the final stages."

Mrs May is to spend the weekend at her country retreat Chequers, where she will continue working on a Brexit compromise.

Talking about the technical talks between Labour and the government, Sky News' deputy political editor Beth Rigby said: "The PM knows a long extension is likely to mean a softer Brexit, or none at all."