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| Labour says it will join Conservatives to block 'no deal' Brexit | Labour says it will join Conservatives to block 'no deal' Brexit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour’s shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has said his party would work with Conservative MPs to block any prospect of a “no deal” Brexit, saying there was no majority in parliament for crashing out of the EU. | Labour’s shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has said his party would work with Conservative MPs to block any prospect of a “no deal” Brexit, saying there was no majority in parliament for crashing out of the EU. |
| McDonnell’s comments came as a cross-party group of MPs including several former Conservative ministers revealed plans that would give parliament the ability to veto, or prevent by other legal means, a “bad deal” or “no deal” outcome, using amendments to the forthcoming EU withdrawal bill. | McDonnell’s comments came as a cross-party group of MPs including several former Conservative ministers revealed plans that would give parliament the ability to veto, or prevent by other legal means, a “bad deal” or “no deal” outcome, using amendments to the forthcoming EU withdrawal bill. |
| McDonnell said Labour was not prepared to consider the prospect of leaving the EU without a negotiated settlement. “I’m not willing to countenance that. I don’t think there is a majority in parliament for no deal,” he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. | McDonnell said Labour was not prepared to consider the prospect of leaving the EU without a negotiated settlement. “I’m not willing to countenance that. I don’t think there is a majority in parliament for no deal,” he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. |
| “I think there are enough sensible people in the House of Commons to say, ‘This cannot happen, we cannot damage our country in this way.’” | “I think there are enough sensible people in the House of Commons to say, ‘This cannot happen, we cannot damage our country in this way.’” |
| Asked if Labour would work with Conservative MPs who were also concerned about leaving with no deal, McDonnell said: “There are discussions going right the way across the House. | Asked if Labour would work with Conservative MPs who were also concerned about leaving with no deal, McDonnell said: “There are discussions going right the way across the House. |
| “I worry for our country as a result of what is happening within the Conservative party. This is not about negotiating with Europe, it’s about fighting amongst themselves and if they can’t negotiate they should get out of the way and let us do it.” | “I worry for our country as a result of what is happening within the Conservative party. This is not about negotiating with Europe, it’s about fighting amongst themselves and if they can’t negotiate they should get out of the way and let us do it.” |
| However, the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, told the same programme that parliament would have no mechanism to keep the UK in the EU for longer than 30 March 2019, which is when Britain’s membership of the bloc will automatically expire if no deal is reached. “Parliament has already voted for leaving the European Union overwhelmingly,” he said. | However, the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, told the same programme that parliament would have no mechanism to keep the UK in the EU for longer than 30 March 2019, which is when Britain’s membership of the bloc will automatically expire if no deal is reached. “Parliament has already voted for leaving the European Union overwhelmingly,” he said. |
| Theresa May has made it clear that at the end of negotiations MPs will have only two options: to accept whatever deal is on offer or to agree there will be no deal. | Theresa May has made it clear that at the end of negotiations MPs will have only two options: to accept whatever deal is on offer or to agree there will be no deal. |
| The prime minister told the House of Commons this week that the government was spending £250m on preparations for a possible “no deal” as negotiations with Brussels hit roadblocks, with some cabinet ministers reported to believe the chances of the UK crashing out of the bloc were as high as 50/50. | |
| The former cabinet minister Dominic Grieve is among 10 Tory MPs, as well as members of all the other main parties, who have tabled an amendment to the EU withdrawal bill saying any final deal must be approved by an entirely separate act of parliament. | |
| The MPs believe this would give the majority of parliamentarians who are opposed to leaving without a settlement the binding vote on the final outcome. | The MPs believe this would give the majority of parliamentarians who are opposed to leaving without a settlement the binding vote on the final outcome. |
| More than 300 amendments have been tabled to the bill, including clauses on limiting the minister’s power to amend legislation transferred from EU law as well as enshrining in law the prime minister’s commitment to seeking a transition deal, laid out in May’s Florence speech. | More than 300 amendments have been tabled to the bill, including clauses on limiting the minister’s power to amend legislation transferred from EU law as well as enshrining in law the prime minister’s commitment to seeking a transition deal, laid out in May’s Florence speech. |
| Democratic Unionist party MPs, upon whose votes May relies for a Commons majority, have made it clear to government whips that they would not accept a “no deal” outcome because it would mean a return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, the Observer reported. | Democratic Unionist party MPs, upon whose votes May relies for a Commons majority, have made it clear to government whips that they would not accept a “no deal” outcome because it would mean a return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, the Observer reported. |
| Ministers may sanction the first expenditure on preparations for a “no deal” Brexit as soon as Monday, without the full approval of parliament, the paper said. | Ministers may sanction the first expenditure on preparations for a “no deal” Brexit as soon as Monday, without the full approval of parliament, the paper said. |