LONDON, April 4 -- Negotiating teams from British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative government and the main opposition Labour Party met Thursday in their mission to find a deal to pave the way for Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.
The talks followed an opening face-to-face meeting Wednesday between May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn which were described as "constructive" but which so far have not made a breakthrough.
Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington headed the government side in Thursday's talks, while Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer headed the Labour Party negotiators.
Eurosceptic MPs continued to vent their rage and anger at May's decision to hold joint talks with Corbyn who has already set his sights on moving into 10 Downing Street as prime minister if a snap general election is called.
The Daily Telegraph reported the Conservative Party headquarters has been flooded with angry messages fearing May's strategy will harm the Conservative's prospects in town and city local elections on May 2.
Grassroots party members as well as a number of politicians have called for May to be replaced with some warning her actions will "destroy the Conservative Party".
The Telegraph headlined one leading article: "An unmitigated disaster: The Tory Party at war after Theresa May's Brexit betrayal".
Meanwhile at Westminster the fallout continued Thursday following a dramatic round of voting in the House of Commons that lasted until almost midnight Wednesday.
A parliamentary bill, put forward by Labour MP Yvette Cooper, aimed at preventing Britain from crashing out of the EU without a deal passed by 313 to 312, a margin of just one vote.
The bill was set to be debated later Thursday in the House of Lords as part of the legislative process to make it law. It will also need royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II.
Cooper and a cross-party group succeeded in forcing through an emergency bill in less than six hours to instruct May to seek an extension to Article 50, the EU countdown timetable, and avoid a no-deal Brexit. May's government opposed the Cooper bill.
The BBC published a chart Thursday from the Institute for Government showing more ministers have resigned from May's government than any prime minister since 1979.
Excluding cabinet reshuffles, May's tally of resignations has passed 30, overtaking then Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair who had around 29 resignations.
Third place went to Britain's only other female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, who faced 25 ministerial resignations.
The Sun newspaper in London said Thursday it has been told that 15 Brexiteer ministers are "on the edge" of also walking out.
Britain has until April 12 to propose a withdrawal plan to Brussels, which will have to be approved by all 27 EU members. If it fails, Britain will leave without a deal on April 12. EU leaders have been summoned to an emergency meeting on April 10 to discuss the Brexit crisis.