PMQs: Corbyn takes May to task over Brexit

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks during Prime Minister's Questions - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

Week after week it appeared that Brexit was a taboo subject for the leader of the opposition – what’s changed Jeremy?

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks during Prime Minister’s Questions – Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

Corbyn used all six of his allotted questions to the prime minster to goad Theresa May over the chaos in her cabinet and the widening divisions over the proposed customs partnership.

And May struggled to offer much in return.

He opened by reminding her of foreign secretary Boris Johnson’s insurrection. The bungling Brexiteer continues to cause the PM more trouble than any MP on the opposition benches.

So is her plan for the a customs partnership ‘crazy’, asked Corbyn? ‘We are leaving the European Union, we are leaving the customs union but of course … we will need to agree customs arrangements,’ was the rather tired answer from the PM.

Cleverly, Corbyn then flipped his questioning to highlight the other side of the argument ripping the cabinet in two: ‘Or does she agree with the business secretary who apparently backs the ‘crazy’ customs partnership?’

Finally – Corbyn had May right where he wanted her. His questions were sharper than normal, he didn’t tie himself up in a bubbling rage as he often does and his jibes were clearly hurting the Tory front bench. Boris looked quite ill.

May did mount a mini comeback reminding the House that Corbyn is a eurosceptic but the damage was well and truly done by then.

Perhaps now Labour’s leader can sniff some government defeats in the Commons when the Brexit Bill returns from the Lords he has suddenly taken an interest in the biggest political upheaval peacetime Britain has faced in modern times? About bloody time.

Verdict: Corbyn 3 May 1