May urges MPs to 'hold their nerve' on Brexit deal
Corbyn accuses PM of 'running down the clock'
Theresa May urged MPs to “hold their nerve” and give her the time necessary to renegotiate a deal with the EU as the Labour opposition accused her of running down the clock with only 45 days to Brexit.
Speaking to MPs in parliament, May pledged a meaningful vote if no revised deal was ready to be put before the House of Commons by February 27.
There was nothing new of substance put forward, although May did try to woo MPs from leave-voting constituencies with vague offers on workers' rights and environmental standards.
However, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said May was being “reckless” and accused her of playing “chicken with people’s livelihoods”.
The prime minister responded by saying Labour MPs had voted against her original deal before Christmas. “Every time somebody votes against a deal, the risk of no deal increases,” she said.
“The talks are at a crucial stage, and we now all need to hold our nerve to get the changes that this House requires and to deliver Brexit on time.”
However, she did suggest that there could still be a meaningful vote in March, despite the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act dictating that a treaty be laid before the house 21 sitting days before ratification.
“Where there’s insufficient time remaining following the successful meaningful vote we will make provision in the withdrawal agreement bill, with parliament’s consent, to ensure that we’re able to ratify on time to guarantee our exit in an orderly way.”
A cross-party group of MPs led by former Labour minister Yvette Cooper decided against tabling an amendment seeking to force the government to extend Article 50, as they did not think they would have enough Conservative backbenchers while the prime minister continued negotiations in Brussels.
They published a revised bill, backed by senior Conservatives Caroline Spelman and Oliver Letwin, aimed at preventing no deal and promised to table an amendment on February 27, forcing the government to make time to pass it.
“This bill creates a parliamentary safeguard to prevent us drifting into no deal by accident, and to prevent those crucial decisions being left until the final fortnight. The risks to jobs, the NHS and security from no deal are too great for us to stand back and let the government drift,” Cooper said.