LABOUR will not table a no-confidence motion in the Government until Theresa May’s Brexit deal collapses, according to one of the party’s Westminster frontbenchers.
Shadow housing secretary John Healey said his party would hold off trying to topple the Government until it was “clear to the country” the Conservatives had failed on Brexit.
During a Monday afternoon of confusion, Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no-confidence in the Prime Minister after she announced MPs would not get to vote on her Brexit deal until the third week of January, a week ahead of the 21 January deadline when Brexit legislation requires MPs to express a view.
But unlike a no-confidence motion in the Government, it does not have to be debated, is non-binding and cannot remove the PM from office or trigger the process that could lead to a General Election. Labour’s chief whip Nick Brown reportedly told MPs on Monday night the party would table a no-confidence motion in the Government if Corbyn’s bid was blocked.
Number 10 did so with sources saying the Government would not make time for the Labour motion and accused the party of playing “silly political games”.
But speaking to BBC Radio yesterday, Healey rowed back from suggestions such a vote would be called immediately. “It is still a question of when, not if, we move to confront the Government with a full vote of confidence,” he said.
“And the answer is when it is clear to the country the Government has failed decisively. For now, for this week, for today our no-confidence motion is directed at Theresa May for her personal failure over two years to get negotiate a deal that not just Labour and the other parties, but many of her own MPs are saying fails to measure up to what Britain needs.”
He added: “[Labour] is doing the job of opposition this week and holding the Prime Minister in particular, and the Government, to account.”
Labour original position, stated last week, was that a vote would be called if the Government was defeated on the Brexit deal vote.
The DUP – which props up the minority Government – and pro-Brexit Tories who tried to topple May last week have said they would back the Government if the Labour motion comes to a vote.
Labour has argued it does not want a vote of no-confidence in the Government unless it is sure it can win – but critics argue the party wants to avoid having to shift its Brexit policy.
A motion at its conference agreed the party could support a second EU referendum if it fails to secure a General Election. On Monday night, opposition parties tabled an amendment to the Labour motion that would convert it to a full confidence vote, attacking Corbyn over his failure to try to bring down the Government.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “Labour’s motion was a gimmick – it has been left to the real opposition to step in and strengthen it to hold the whole UK Government to account.”
LibDem leader Sir Vince Cable said: “Jeremy Corbyn is using every subterfuge possible to avoid the responsibility of pushing a real motion of no confidence in the Government. He seems more interested in installing a new Tory Prime Minister in Downing Street than in the General Election he keeps talking about.”
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