Labour MPs reject Number 10 bid for Brexit deal support
3 min read
Labour MPs have hit back at claims Theresa May is trying to win their backing in a bid to get her Brexit deal through Parliament.
According to The Guardian, Number 10 is hoping to persuade members of the opposition to vote in the "national interest" to avoid the UK leaving the EU without a deal and possibly triggering a general election which could see Mr Corbyn swept to power.
Among those backbenchers set to be targeted were Rachel Reeves, Chris Bryant and Lucy Powell, who have all spoken out in favour of a so-called "People's Vote" on the final deal.
Tory whips were also planning to contact Caroline Flint and Gareth Snell, who both represent constituencies which voted Leave, to try to secure their backing.
But a succession of Labour MPs have taken to Twitter to distance themselves from the claims.
Hove and Portslade MP Peter Kyle said: "Right from the start Theresa May had the chance to win support from many Labour MPs for a soft Brexit. But her addiction to appearing tough scuppered it. Now she’s grovelling for help to get her dogs-dinner of a plan through. She won’t get it and doesn’t deserve it."
Neil Coyle, the MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, said: "Something very Baldrick about May's cunning plan. It's so secret not a single Labour MP knows about it."
The Prime Minister's hopes of securing a Brexit deal were boosted when European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said an agreement was "not far" away.
However, even if she does manage to strike a deal at a crunch EU summit later this month, Mrs May is still faced with the challenge of getting it through the Commons.
Up to 80 Tory MPs are said to be ready to rebel, while Labour has also all-but ruled out voting for it.
A Labour source said: "Labour has been clear from the outset that if Theresa May’s Brexit deal does not meet our six tests then we will vote against it in parliament.
"The Tories are wrong to say it’s a choice between Theresa May’s deal or no deal. No deal is simply not a viable option. There is no majority in Parliament to take the UK off a cliff in March 2019."
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