Labour could delay Brexit day because of 'collapsing' talks, say frontbenchers Keir Starmer and Tony Lloyd
3 min read
Two Labour frontbenchers have refused to rule out extending Article 50 if Labour wins power.
Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the "collapsing failure" of Brexit talks meant the party may have to leave the door open to delaying the UK's departure, while his colleague Tony Lloyd said it would be "very difficult" to hold talks with the EU on the current timetable.
The UK is set to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, when it will switch to a closely-aligned "implementation period" with the bloc running until the end of 2020.
In an interview with Talk Radio, Sir Keir was asked to guarantee that the UK would leave the EU at the end the two-year Article 50 process, under a Labour government.
He said: "Well the answer is it depends, because we don’t know when we’re going to get a deal. The October deadline might slip to November, November might slip to December.
"I don’t know, I’m not conducting the negotiations so the timeline is not in our control.
"I don’t think at this stage anybody is talking about extending Article 50. But if it has to be extended, quite frankly, it will be because of the collapsing failure of the discussions and the negotiations."
Meanwhile, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Tony Lloyd told a fringe meeting at the Labour party’s conference that an extension to Article 50 could be necessary.
The frontbencher said: “I think it would be very difficult to have meaningful negotiations between November and March and I think we would need, by force of circumstance, to look at that timescale.”
His comments come after Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said on Monday that if Labour came to power, the party would seek an extension to the process.
"We would need to put back Article 50 back, and then let the grown-ups negotiate a proper divorce deal," she told the BBC.
SIX TESTS FAILED
Sir Keir will meanwhile tell his party's conference today that Labour stands ready to vote against any deal the Prime Minister strikes with the European Union.
In his keynote speech, the Shadow Brexit Secretary 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 has previously said it would back a deal Mrs May strikes with the EU provided it gives the UK the "exact same benefits" it 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."
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