Labour’s plan for Brexit will safeguard jobs and the economy

Sunday, 25 March 2018 22:30

Keir Starmer is to deliver a speech marking one year to go until Brexit about Labour’s plan for a future relationship with the EU that will safeguards jobs, the economy and people’s livelihoods He will announce that Labour will seek to amend the EU Withdrawal Bill and strengthen the terms of Parliament’s meaningful vote to remove the possibility of a “no vote leading to a no...Request free trial

Keir Starmer is to deliver a speech marking one year to go until Brexit about Labour’s plan for a future relationship with the EU that will safeguards jobs, the economy and people’s livelihoods

He will announce that Labour will seek to amend the EU Withdrawal Bill and strengthen the terms of Parliament’s meaningful vote to remove the possibility of a “no vote leading to a no deal”

Starmer will say MPs should be given the power to instruct the Government what to do in the event of a deal being voted down by Parliament

He will dismiss calls from the Government’s Brexit Minister that if Parliament rejects the Prime Minister’s deal it will give licence to the UK to crash out without an agreement

Keir Starmer MP, Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary is to deliver a speech in Birmingham about Labour’s priorities for the final year of the Brexit negotiations.

In a speech to mark one year to go until the UK leaves the European Union, Keir Starmer will set out Labour’s plan for a close future relationship with Europe that would safeguard jobs, the economy and people’s living standards.

Keir Starmer MP, Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary, is expected to say:

“Labour has adopted a considered approach to Brexit based on the national interest and rooted in our values of internationalism, solidarity and equality.

“A belief that we achieve more together than we do alone. That’s why the first of the six tests I set out a year ago was that the final deal must ensure a strong and collaborative future relationship with the EU

“Not just in trade and security, but in so much more – in research, technology, arts, culture, science and medicine. Labour’s approach to Brexit will protect that. We completely reject the notion that Brexit should make Britain a more insular country or cut ourselves off from our allies.

“The approach Jeremy Corbyn set out last month in Coventry had those core values at its heart and a strong emphasis that Labour’s approach will always put jobs and the economy first.

“There is no clearer demonstration of that than our commitment to negotiate a new comprehensive UK-EU Customs Union and a strong new relationship with the Single Market that retains the benefits.”

As part of Labour’s plan to safeguard jobs and the economy, Keir Starmer will announce that Labour intends to work with others in the Lords and Commons to amend the EU Withdrawal Bill to strengthen the terms of Parliament’s meaningful vote.

He will say:

“The Government’s own Brexit minister Lord Callanan said just last week that if the deal is voted down it would be ‘an instruction to move ahead without a deal’. That is totally unacceptable.

“If Parliament rejects the Prime Minister’s deal that cannot give licence to her – or the extreme Brexiteers in her party – to allow the UK to crash out without an agreement. That would be the worst of all possible worlds.

“That is why in the coming days – and working with others in the Lords and the Commons – Labour will ensure that an amendment is tabled to the EU Withdrawal Bill to strengthen the terms of Parliament’s meaningful vote.

“Our amendment would make it clear that, should the Prime Minister’s deal be defeated, it must be for Parliament to say what happens next, not the Executive.

“A statutory provision requiring the Government to proceed on terms agreed by Parliament, not on the terms dictated by the Prime Minister.

“We will not dictate what Parliament should do in such circumstances. But Labour’s preference in that scenario is clear: the Government should go back to the negotiating table and work towards securing a deal that works for Britain.

“This would provide a safety valve in the Brexit process to safeguard jobs and the economy. It would remove the possibility of a no vote leading to a no deal. It would bring back control to Parliament.”

Ends

Notes to editors

Over the coming days, Labour will seek to work with members of the Commons and Lords to amend the EU Withdrawal Bill to strengthen the terms of Parliament’s meaningful vote.

Under Labour’s plan:

If Parliament votes down the Prime Minister’s deal in October, then it would be for MPs to instruct the Government by a motion of the House of Commons on how it should proceed.

The Prime Minister would be blocked from being able to interpret a vote against her deal as a vote for no deal.

Parliament would be handed back control to determine the next course of action, not the executive.

Lord Callanan told the House of Lords on 20 March that the UK would leave without a deal if Parliament voted down the Government Brexit deal. He said: “In such circumstances—first, we hope that Parliament will not reject it and we will negotiate for the best possible outcome—that would be an instruction to move ahead without a deal.” [https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/brexit-minister-lord-callanan-warns-uk-will-quit-eu-without-a-deal-if-parliament-rejects-mays-brussels plan_uk_5ab0e52ce4b0e862383b3643]