Legal advice on backstop must be presented to Parliament – Keir Starmer

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

“Any agreement on the backstop can’t simply be a fudge that’s cobbled together to satisfy Theresa May’s Cabinet. 

“It must be a robust and credible proposal that guarantees there will be no return to a hard border in Northern Ireland after Brexit. 

“That’s why it’s essential MPs are given the opportunity to scrutinise the Attorney General’s legal advice before voting on the final deal. The public have the right to know precisely what the Cabinet has signed up to and what the implications are for the future.

“At this crucial stage, Parliament should not be kept in the dark nor should the government try to bounce MPs into an agreement without all the facts.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

·         Keir Starmer is in Brussels today for meetings with representatives from the EU institutions, including Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, Markus Winkler, Deputy Secretary General of the EU Parliament, and Roberto Gualtieri, member of the EU Parliament's Brexit Steering Group.