LONDON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday defended her decision to meet with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn despite the resignation earlier in the day of two of her ministers in protest against her latest Brexit plan.
May's decision to seek a meeting with Corbyn elicited anger and criticism from her own Conservative MPs, although she said on Tuesday that the meeting was intended to break the current Brexit deadlock.
All MPs have a responsibility to deliver Brexit, the prime minister said, adding that the public "expects us to reach across this House to find a way through this."
Corbyn said he was "very happy" to meet the prime minister, and welcomed May's "willingness to compromise to resolve the Brexit deadlock."
The prime minister's move has angered some Brexiteers, with two ministers resigning over it.
Chris Heaton-Harris became the latest to quit on Wednesday afternoon as minister of the Department for Exiting the European Union, saying that his job had become "irrelevant" if the British government was not prepared to leave without a deal.
Wales Office Minister Nigel Adams on Wednesday morning announced his resignation in protest at the May-Corbyn meeting, and accused the prime minister of "cooking up" a deal with Corbyn "who has never once in his political life put British interests first."
In the face of opposition from within her own cabinet, the prime minister on Tuesday announced that she was seeking talks with Corbyn in order to break the current Brexit deadlock after a tense seven-hour cabinet meeting, in which she was repeatedly challenged by her ministers.
Boris Johnson, the former British foreign secretary, accused the prime minister of entrusting Brexit to Corbyn, which he said would result in Britain continuing to be run by the European Union.
In a significant shift, May said she would request an extension to leaving the European Union and opened the door to accepting a softer Brexit, with Downing Street later not ruling out accepting either a customs union or a second referendum.
