Labour to use opposition day debate to push against no-deal Brexit

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer at Labour Party conference. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA. - Credit: PA Archive/PA Images

The Labour Party plans to force a Commons vote to allow MPs to introduce legislation that could prevent a ‘reckless’ Conservative prime minister taking the UK out of the EU without a deal.

In partnership with the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, the SNP and the Green Party, Labour will use an opposition day debate to push forward the vote that, if passed, would give MPs control of the House of Commons agenda on June 25.

This, says the party, would give MPs the chance to introduce binding legislation that blocks a no-deal Brexit before the Conservative party leadership contest has been decided.

Several Conservative leadership candidates have indicated a willingness to leave the EU without a deal – despite a non-binding vote in March – including the option of proroguing parliament to allow a no-deal Brexit to pass.

MORE: Speakers past and present criticise Raab plan to suspend parliament to force through no dealShadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said that MPs “cannot be bystanders” if the next prime minister causes the Uk to crash out of the EU without a deal.”The debate on Brexit in the Tory leadership contest has descended into the disturbing, the ludicrous and the reckless.”None of the likely candidates for the top job has a credible plan for how to break the deadlock before the end of October. “Instead, we have witnessed candidates openly advocating a damaging no-deal Brexit and even proposing dragging the Queen into politics by asking her to shut down parliament to achieve this.”My challenge to MPs who disagree either with a no-deal Brexit or proroguing Parliament is to back this motion and act in the national interest.”A Labour Party press statement said: “This is the next step in parliament preventing no deal … it would put power back in the hands of parliament and prevent it being sidelined on this vital issue.”We have had to act today because of the alarming and reckless rhetoric of a number of Tory leadership candidates, who seem to think that ignoring parliament and driving through no deal is a viable option. It is not.