Two years on from the referendum, Labour accuses May of failing to negotiate the Brexit deal Britain needs

On the two year anniversary of the EU referendum, Labour has accused Theresa May of failing to negotiate the Brexit deal Britain needs. 

The Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has warned that Theresa May’s “rash, reckless and ideological red lines” has hampered the Brexit negotiations and put jobs and the economy at risk. The warning comes two years on from the referendum and the day after Airbus warned of the threat of a no deal Brexit.

The Tories said the Brexit negotiations would “be one of the easiest in human history.” However, two years on from the referendum:

• ·         Theresa May has still not published her plan for Brexit, with the promised white paper now delayed further
• ·         Nearly two thirds of Brexit legislation have yet to be passed into law
• ·         40% of Brexit bills are still to be introduced by ministers, including the agriculture and fisheries bills
• ·         The immigration white paper has been delayed by nearly a year
• ·         Ministers remain deeply divided over the UK’s future customs arrangements with the EU and our relationship with the single market

Keir Starmer MP, Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary, said:

“Two years on from the referendum, Theresa May is letting the country down and failing to negotiate the Brexit deal Britain needs.

“The Government’s rash, reckless and ideological red lines have held back the negotiations at every turn and are putting jobs and the economy at risk. Instead of negotiating for Britain, the Cabinet is still negotiating with itself.

“The next six months cannot be like the last two years. The Government must end the deadlock in the negotiations and deliver a deal that puts jobs and the economy first.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• ·         David Davis said in February 2016 that minutes of a vote to leave, the Chief Executives of German car manufactures would be “knocking down Chancellor Merkel’s door.” https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/06/german-industry-cannot-save-britain-from-hard-brexit-warns-merke/

• ·         John Redwood said in July 2016 “getting out of the EU can be quick and easy.” http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2016/07/17/getting-out-of-the-eu-can-be-quick-and-easy-the-uk-holds-most-of-the-cards-in-any-negotiation/

• ·         Liam Fox said in July 2017 that a future trade deal with the EU would be "one of the easiest in human history.”https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-40667879/eu-trade-deal-easiest-in-human-history

• ·         Since the referendum, ten pieces of Brexit legislation have been introduced or proposed:

• ·         European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill
• ·         EU Withdrawal Bill
• ·         Customs Bill
• ·         Trade Bill
• ·         Immigration Bill
• ·         Fisheries Bill
• ·         Agriculture Bill
• ·         Nuclear Safeguards Bill
• ·         International Sanctions BillEU Withdrawal and Implementation Bill

• ·         Only six of these bills have been introduced, and only four being passed into law.

• ·         The immigration white paper was due to be published in the summer of 2017, but is still delayed and now expected until at least July.https://www.politico.eu/article/theresa-may-immigration-brexit-sajid-javid-intervenes-to-speed-up-new-uk-immigration-plan/

• ·         Theresa May has delayed the Government’s white paper until after the June EU Summit. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jun/08/theresa-may-to-hold-peace-summit-over-brexit-white-paper

• ·         David Davis has threatened to resign at least 5 times https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2018/06/all-times-david-davis-has-threatened-resign-over-brexit-didn-t