Corbyn says Labour may delay Brexit if it wins snap election
Blow for supporters of people’s vote as party leader
reiterates he would negotiate new deal
What to expect from Brexit debate and final vote in the
Commons
Jessica Elgot Political correspondent
@jessicaelgot
Thu 10 Jan 2019 12.55 GMT Last modified on Thu 10 Jan 2019
13.21 GMT
Jeremy Corbyn has conceded that Labour might need to seek an
extension of article 50 if the party won a snap election, to negotiate a new
Brexit deal.
His statement confirms that his party’s priority is a new
deal, rather than a referendum.
He said an election would “break the deadlock” and give the
party an opportunity to negotiate Brexit on its own terms, should Labour win
the election.
“Any political leader who wants to bring the country
together cannot wish away the votes of 17 million who wanted to leave, any more
than they can ignore the concerns of the 16 million who voted to remain,” he
said, in veiled comments aimed at the campaigning and polling that has
suggested the party should prioritise its remain voters and party members.
He said Labour’s own Brexit plan, which included negotiating
a customs deal and what the party has described as a “strong single market
relationship”, would bring both sides together and allow Labour to enact its
manifesto promises.
“The alternative plan that Labour has set out for a sensible
Brexit deal that could win broad support is designed to enable us to fulfil
those ambitions while respecting the democratic result of the referendum,”
Corbyn said.
The remarks will come as a blow for some Labour supporters
of a second referendum, who hope that the party would make that a pledge in any
future election. Instead, Corbyn said the election of a Labour government would
be “a renewed mandate to negotiate a better deal for Britain”.
The Labour leader also gave cautious endorsement to the
prospect of extending article 50, but only in the context of an election. The
shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, suggested on Wednesday that an extension
“may well be inevitable now”.
Corbyn said an extension “would be a possibility … because
of the practicalities of negotiating”.
He reiterated during the speech in Wakefield, West
Yorkshire, that Labour would vote against Theresa May’s deal and that it was
inconceivable that a government could remain in power if it could not pass its
most important legislation. “A government that cannot get its business through
the House of Commons is no government at all,” he said.
Opinion has been divided on the Labour frontbench about the
most effective time to call a vote of no confidence in the government, with
several shadow cabinet ministers pushing for a vote immediately after a defeat
on May’s Brexit deal. Others such as the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell,
believe that Labour should try to secure the backing of the Democratic Unionist
party to give it the best chance of success.
“Labour will table a motion of no confidence in the
government at the moment we judge it to have the best chance of success,”
Corbyn said. “Clearly, Labour does not have enough MPs in parliament to win a
confidence vote on its own.”
Some around the shadow cabinet table have been wary of a
defeat in a confidence vote, because the policy passed by the party’s
membership at Labour conference suggested that it should then consider backing
a second referendum.
After delivering his speech, Corbyn also rejected an offer
from the government for more protections on workers’ rights, as it emerged that
the prime minister was prepared to back a Labour backbench amendment promising
to enshrine EU rules on workers’ rights. It was tabled by John Mann and has
been backed by the former minister Caroline Flint.
Labour sources said they were concerned that the amendment
would not have much legal effect. Mann and Flint were among a handful of Labour
MPs who have suggested that they might back the prime minister’s deal.
Mann told the Daily Mirror: “It’s very encouraging if
government is listening to what the people are saying but also it removes one
of Labour’s objections.” Protections for workers’ rights has been one of
Labour’s six tests for supporting any Brexit deal.
Corbyn, in his speech, said the referendum held a deep
symbolism for voters on both sides, which went far beyond a relationship with
Europe.
“The real divide in our country is not between those who
voted to remain in the EU and those who voted to leave,” he said. “It is
between the many, who do the work, create the wealth and pay taxes, and the
few, who set the rules, reap the rewards and so often dodge taxes.”
What to expect from Brexit debate and final vote in the
Commons
Nothing has changed since May pulled December’s vote – but
there may be drama ahead
Jessica Elgot Political correspondent
@jessicaelgot
Wed 9 Jan 2019 06.00 GMT Last modified on Wed 9 Jan 2019
11.48 GMT
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/09/what-to-expect-brexit-debate-final-vote-theresa-may
MPs will begin debating Theresa May’s Brexit deal again this
week, though materially very little has changed since the prime minister pulled
the vote last month. Here’s what to expect in the coming days and the aftermath
of the vote.
What will happen in parliament?
The debate is scheduled to last for five more days, with a
final vote on 15 January. Brexit secretary Steve Barclay will open the debate
on Wednesday 9 January, when it will be closed by May’s de-facto deputy David
Lidington, and other cabinet ministers will open and close the debate on the
subsequent days, including Michael Gove, Greg Clark, Sajid Javid and Jeremy
Hunt. On the final day, the prime minister will close the debate, just before
the vote.
Previously the government had “themes” for the different
days of debate, including the economy and the union.
More than 100 MPs spoke in the debate before the vote was
pulled last month and many had been concerned they would not be permitted to
speak again. The government has said however that it intends for the MPs to be
able to make contributions again.
What has changed since the vote was pulled?
Nothing, though Downing Street says negotiations are ongoing
with the European Union. MPs are now in the strange position of having a new
debate while they are still unclear about the outcome of those talks.
No 10 said restarting the debate before a conclusion had
been reached was because of a commitment to hold the vote before 21 January.
May told Andrew Marr on Sunday that MPs could expect
reassurances in the next few days in three areas: on Northern Ireland; on the
role of parliament in future negotiations; and from the EU27 member states.
What is Theresa May still seeking?
The prime minister is seeking legally binding reassurances
on the backstop, to ensure those customs arrangements to avoid a hard border on
the island of Ireland would be temporary.
It is still unclear what form that assurance could take –
though EU sources have suggested an “exchange of letters “– or if that will be
enough to reassure enough hardline Brexiters and her supply-and-confidence
partners, the DUP.
No 10 have said the sought-after clarification will only be
published just before next week’s final vote, and would not emerge before the
long-awaited five-day Brexit debate begins on Wednesday afternoon.
Brussels is willing to repeat that the target for achieving
a free-trade deal is the end of 2020, which if achieved would avoid the need
for the unpopular Irish backstop to come into force, but the UK is sceptical
that deadline can be achieved. The EU will not give ground on any adjustment to
the withdrawal agreement itself.
The UK wants the EU to commit to a legally binding target to
finalise trade talks by the end of 2021. The UK believes this would allow a
realistic amount of time to conclude the free-trade deal and limit the Irish
backstop to a year.
Will MPs get a chance to debate those changes?
Downing Street said it is the intention that MPs have some
time to discuss what, if anything, the prime minister has achieved in her
discussions with Brussels, rather than springing it on MPs just before they
vote.
What happens if the vote is lost?
More than 100 MPs have so far committed to voting against
this deal and few seemed to have been pacified over the Christmas break.
Cabinet sources said May had acknowledged she may lose the vote and said things
would “move quickly” if that happens.
If the margin of defeat is less than predicted, May could
try putting the same deal again to the Commons if she manages to get another
concession from the EU, enough to argue the new motion is substantially
different.
Labour will table a vote of no confidence in the government,
though it is unclear whether the party could win it, especially without the
backing of the DUP, who have said they will support the government unless May’s
deal passes.
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