Damian Green warns Tory backbenchers to back Brexit or risk Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister
2 min read
One of Theresa May's closest allies has warned Tory MPs to back the Government’s Brexit legislation or risk Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister.
First Secretary of State Damian Green, who is effectively Deputy Prime Minister, spoke out at MPs prepare to debate the EU (Withdrawal) Bill when the Commons returns this week.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Green suggested that any disunity from Tory colleagues could force a snap election, which Labour could win.
He said: “Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. I fought as hard as I could on the Remain side, but I believe strongly that as a democrat I should respect the result, and that as a politician it is my duty to make the Brexit settlement as good as possible.
“Starting the new Parliamentary session with the Withdrawal Bill shows that it is now the job of all MPs, including my former colleagues on the Stronger In campaign, to respect the will of the people and get the best possible deal for Britain. No Conservative wants a bad Brexit deal, or to do anything that increases the threat of a Corbyn government.”
Ms May was also keen to reassure her parliamentary colleagues that Thursday’s debate would allow time for “proper parliamentary scrutiny of Brexit legislation,” adding that she welcomed “the contributions of MPs from across the house."
But former minister Anna Soubry hit back at suggestions Tory MPs who do not support the legislation are helping Labour.
"Any suggestion that this is any way treacherous or supporting Jeremy Corbyn is outrageous," she said. "It amounts to a trouncing of democracy and people will not accept it."
The EU Withdrawal Bill will end the supremacy of EU law in the UK by transferring existing regulations onto the UK statute book the day after Brexit.
Shadow Brexit Secretary Kier Starmer has warned that Labour cannot support the legislation unless “significant changes were made”.
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