Brexit news latest: Jeremy Corbyn calls for Theresa May to reach deal House of Commons will support or 'make way'

Jacob Jarvis10 December 2018
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Jeremy Corbyn called for Theresa May to “make way” as he slammed her and the Government following the delay of the Brexit deal vote.

The Labour leader took aim at the Prime Minister in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon after she confirmed her intention to postpone the so-called “meaningful vote”.

Mr Corbyn described the situation as "unprecedented" and "serious".

“The Government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray,” he said.

“If the Prime Minister cannot be clear that she can and will renegotiate a deal then she must make way."

Theresa May updated the Commons on the situation on Monday
REUTERS

After Mr Corbyn's address, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said his party would support Labour if the party pushed for a no confidence vote in the PM. SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon earlier said she would do the same.

During the tense exchange in the Commons, Mr Corbyn then said it was “inevitable for weeks” the deal would not be supported and asked if Mrs May would seek changes to the deal or “merely reassurances”.

He also quoted statements from EU officials that the deal cannot be changed and is the only one on offer.

Describing the deal as “botched”, he said bringing it back to Parliament without major changes will not change the objections. He said it was a “bad deal for Britain”.

As well as this he spoke of “red lines which have been boldly announced and then cast aside”, while also criticising the Government for being found in contempt of Parliament.

Jeremy Corbyn made the comments as the Commons gathered for an update on the vote ( PARBUL/PA Wire)
PARBUL/PA Wire

He called for the PM to build a “consensus in this House” and for a debate on the “negotiating mandate” which she could take to Brussels.

“There is no point, no point at all, in this Prime Minister bringing back the same deal again, which clearly is not supported by this house,” Mr Corbyn said.

Britain's leader of the Liberal Democrat party, Vince Cable said he would back a no confidence vote in the PM
REUTERS

“The Government is in disarray, uncertainty is building for business, people are in despair at the state of these failed negotiations and concerned about what it means about their jobs, their livelihood and their communities. And the fault for that lies solely at the door of this shambolic Government.

“The Prime Minister is trying to buy herself one last chance to save this deal.

“If she doesn’t take on board the fundamental changes required then she must make way for those who can.”

The two leaders clashed across the Commons
PA

Mrs May responded that Mr Corbyn argued on one hand that they EU would not allow the deal to be changed but on the other that he would only accept “the deal being renegotiated”.

“The fundamental question that members of this House need to ask themselves is whether they want to deliver Brexit and honour the result of this referendum," she said.

“If you wish to deliver Brexit, if you wish to honour the result of the referendum, then the deal that does that, that best protects jobs and our economy, is the deal the Government has put forward.”

She said that a backstop would be necessary for any deal and the ability to strike trade deals worldwide would be impaired by the connections she said Mr Corbyn would want to trade with the EU bloc.

Following this she addressed his comments on uncertainty for the UK economy and said: “The biggest uncertainty for British business lies not in this deal but on the front bench of the Labour party”.

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