JEREMY Corbyn has demanded MPs cut short their Christmas break, head to Parliament and vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
The Labour leader accused the Prime Minister of trying to run down the clock and said she should recall the Commons next week.
MPs aren’t due back until January 7, but May’s ministers are to gather in Downing Street for a special Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss no-deal planning.
Corbyn told the i newspaper: “I want us to have a vote as soon as possible, that’s what I’ve been saying for the past two weeks, and if that means recalling Parliament to have the vote let’s have it,” he told the paper.
“But it looks to me the Government has once again reneged on that and tried to put it back another week.
“We need to have that vote so a decision of Parliament can be made. What I suspect is that it’s a completely cynical manoeuvre to run down the clock and offer MPs the choice of the devil or the deep blue sea.”
The Labour leader also refused to be drawn on whether he would seek to extend Article 50 to keep the UK in the EU for longer.
Despite Brussels insisting there would be no re-opening of negotiations, Corbyn seemed sure the EU would be flexible if he became prime minister.
“Lots of things are possible, the EU has longform on reopening and extending negotiations, but let’s not jump too many hoops when we haven’t arrived at them.”
A Downing Street source labelled Corbyn’s call a “silly demand”.
“Following debate in the Commons, in the week commencing January 14, MPs will vote on the Brexit deal.
“Instead of making silly demands, Jeremy Corbyn should be honest with voters that he has no alternative plan, and only intends to frustrate Brexit – ultimately betraying the referendum result,” they told the PA.
Meanwhile, Tory Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt called on the EU to provide further assurances over the Irish border backstop, and define “what temporary is”.
Hunt, appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, said: “The EU has agreed that the backstop is temporary and what we need them to do is define what temporary is.
“So my view is this is not the time to be talking about what other major changes we might be faced with making because actually we can get this through.
“We can get this through, absolutely can.”
He added: “Because if it is temporary then Parliament can live with that, but you need to show us.
“So I am a supporter of Theresa May’s deal with those qualifications to the backstop and I think MPs, as they reflect on how close we are to an agreement, but also how cataclysmic it would be if we didn’t end up having an agreement we could get through Parliament, the best thing is to put our heads down and make sure we have a version of this agreement that we can get through Parliament.”
Asked if he was interested in becoming Tory party leader, Hunt replied: “I think we have a very good leader of the Conservative Party, a very good Prime Minister, frankly, doing probably the most difficult job of any leader in the Western world right now, and what we need to do – as she’s battling for Britain – is get behind her.”
Elsewhere, the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) has been accused of hiding the “unpleasant realities” of Brexit from the public, as new analysis suggested it only answered a fifth of Freedom of Information requests in full.
Research by the People’s Vote campaign for a second referendum found DExEU refused to release any information for more than half of all requests, and only answered 21% in full between July 2016 and June 2017 – the lowest percentage across all of Whitehall.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel