Theresa May accepts talks offer from Jeremy Corbyn in bid for Brexit breakthrough

Theresa May has accepted the offer of more talks with Jeremy Corbyn to break the Brexit deadlock, boosting chances of a breakthrough.

The prime minister indicated their teams should meet "as soon as possible" - with less than 50 days to go until the UK leaves the EU and no agreement ratified by parliament.

She vowed to take up the points raised by Mr Corbyn in a letter, replying to an earlier one sent by the Labour leader setting out his price for passing a deal.

Tory MPs voted last month to back the divorce terms negotiated with Brussels - but with the controversial Irish backstop stripped out and replaced with "alternative arrangements".

Mrs May asked Mr Corbyn to sit down with Downing Street aides to "discuss the exact nature of those alternative arrangements".

The current backstop would see the UK remain in a customs union with the EU, with Northern Ireland retaining some extra regulatory alignment to keep an open border with the Republic of Ireland.

Mrs May gave brief responses and questions to some of Mr Corbyn's points, but said the details were best hammered out between their teams.

Sky News