Jo Swinson: Jeremy Corbyn 'jeopardising' bid to block no-deal by demanding to be PM
2 min read
Jo Swinson has warned Jeremy Corbyn he is “jeopardising” the chances of bringing down the Government by insisting he must become caretaker Prime Minister.
The Lib Dem leader spoke out as opposition party leaders prepare to meet to discuss how they plan to stop a no-deal Brexit.
Mr Corbyn has insisted that should MPs back a motion of no confidence in Boris Johnson, he should automatically replace him as PM.
But in a letter to the Labour leader, Ms Swinson said that put at risk any chance of preventing the UK leaving the EU without a deal on 31 October.
She said: “In the last week many MPs who stand opposed to No Deal, in particular key Conservative MPs, have rejected your proposal to lead an emergency government.
“Insisting you lead that emergency government will therefore jeopardise the chances of a no confidence vote gaining enough support to pass in the first place.
“As you have said that you would do anything to avoid no deal, I hope you are open to a discussion about how conceding this point may open the door to a no confidence vote succeeding. Its success must be the priority.”
The Lib Dem leader said Tory grandee Ken Clarke and former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman have both said they would be willing to act as stand-in Prime Ministers in order to delay Brexit.
She added: “It would be useful to discuss who else you would consider acceptable candidates to lead a temporary government in order to secure that crucial majority.”
Relations between Labour and the Lib Dems have been strained ever since Ms Swinson originally rejected Mr Corbyn’s offer of becoming “temporary” Prime Minister in a government of national unity.
Speaking on Sky News on Sunday, Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner said the Lib Dem chief had been “extremely petulant” to dismiss the idea out of hand.
He said: “It sounded as if she couldn’t take yes for an answer. And she’s been saying, and the Liberal Democrats and others have been saying for so long, look we need to have a second referendum and Remain needs to be on the ballot paper.
“They are now being offered a fail-safe Parliamentary procedural way of delivering that and they’re saying ‘oh we’re not going to co-operate if Jeremy Corbyn is going to be the person who does it’.”
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