Keir Starmer warns Theresa May: Labour WILL vote down your Brexit deal
3 min read
Labour is set to vote against the EU withdrawal deal Theresa May strikes with Brussels in a bid to stop a “destructive Tory Brexit,” Keir Starmer will declare today.
The Shadow Brexit Secretary will blast Tory infighting over the negotiations as Labour revealed new analysis showing the Prime Minister is on course to fail six tests they have set for the deal.
In his keynote Labour conference speech, Sir Keir will say: “The party that once promised that it would fix the roof while the sun was shining is now intent on burning the whole house down.”
Labour had previously said it would back the Brexit deal the Prime Minister strikes with Brussels if it delivers the “exact same benefits” the UK currently enjoys as a member of the EU single market.
It also demanded protection for rights and regulations, a “strong and collaborative future relationship” and the “fair management of migration,” among other things.
But in a new paper today, Labour spells out why each of its tests is set to be failed by the Government - arguing the red lines set by the Prime Minister have destroyed all hope of a good future relationship.
Sir Keir will say: “If Theresa May brings back a deal that fails our tests – and that looks increasingly likely - Labour will vote against it. No ifs, no buts.
“And if the Prime Minister thinks we’ll wave through a vague deal asking us to jump blindfolded into the unknown she can think again.
“You can’t meet Labour’s tests by failing to provide answers. We will vote down a blind Brexit.”
He will add: “Let me be clear: this isn’t about frustrating the process. It’s about stopping a destructive Tory Brexit. It’s about fighting for our values. And about fighting for our country.”
Mrs May has vowed to quit the single market and customs union but is struggling to negotiate a new arrangement with the bloc that would protect the open border in Northern Ireland.
The EU has rejected her proposals for a single market for goods and a customs arrangement that would leave the UK collecting tariffs on behalf of Brussels.
Elsewhere in his conference speech, Sir Keir will take aim at the Tory infighting that has beset the Brexit negotiations - with the Prime Minister caught between her pro- and anti-EU backbenchers.
“Just when we need a strong government, what do we see from the Tories? Division, chaos and failure,” he will blast.
“No credible plan for Brexit. No solution to prevent a hard border in Ireland. And no majority in Parliament for the Chequers proposals.
“A Tory civil war that has gone on for years, now threatens our future prosperity. The party that once promised that it would fix the roof while the sun was shining is now intent on burning the whole house down.
“So, I’ve got a message for the Prime Minister. ‘If your party wants to tear itself apart, that’s fine, but you’re not taking our country with you.”
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
