Brexit news: May says no-deal Brexit planning to continue, as Hunt insists Labour talks progressing ‘better than expected’

Theresa May travels to Wales as Brexit talks continue

Cross-party talks between the Conservatives and Labour to resolve the Brexit stalemate are to continue through parliament’s Easter recess, as infighting among senior Tories revealed the divisions still plaguing progress.

Chancellor Philip Hammond reportedly ridiculed Tory Brexiteers including Michael Gove and Boris Johnson for engaging in a “suicide pact” during the 2016 leadership race in a speech in the US.

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said talks with Labour were proving “more constructive” than many had expected. “I don’t think we should rule out the possibility of getting some agreement across the House of Commons.”

Elsewhere Boris Johnson and his fellow pro-Brexit MP Jacob Rees-Mogg responded to comments by Labour MP David Lammy, who said comparing the hard-Brexit European Research Group to Nazis was “not strong enough”.

Mr Lammy also said the Brexit debate had allowed hard right views to flourish in the UK.

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​Mr Rees-Mogg said he felt “sorry for Mr Lammy”, and that the remarks damaged his reputation. Mr Johnson said it was a “peculiar outburst” and the result of “Brexichosis”.

MPs are enjoying an 11-day Easter break after the Brexit crisis cut into their traditional two week recess.

Theresa May has travelled to Wales, for a walking holiday with her husband.

Her spokesperson said she had no plans to call an election.

The prime minister famously decided to call the 2017 general election after a similar walking holiday.

Meanwhile Sajid Javid, the home secretary, made a speech on knife crime in the UK.

He said he feared his own children could become victims and claimed he could have had a life of crime himself, in an unusually personal speech.

The House of Commons will return from recess on 23 April 2019.

If you would like to see how the day’s political news unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below: