A no-deal Brexit would be a ‘gift’ for terrorists, warns Labour MP

THE shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has warned that a no-deal Brexit would be a “gift” for those seeking a return to violence.

Tony Lloyd said that leaving the European Union without a deal would be “disastrous” and “dangerous”, and would make the reality of a hard border “almost inescapable”.

“(That) would see a return to the kind of paraphernalia on the border that we all recognise 20 years ago,” he said.

“A return to that, and I quote the Chief Constable of the PSNI, would be something that would be a gift to those who want to return to violence and return to terror. We simply can’t accept that.”

The MP was referring to a previous warning from George Hamilton, who claimed that Government officials had failed to prepare for the impact Brexit will have on peace and security.

Earlier this month the Chief Constable said some Westminster politicians believed that terrorism was a thing of the past and viewed the region as “peripheral”.

“There’s a feeling that as regards to the Troubles and the conflict, Northern Ireland is sorted and we don’t need to worry about it, when actually we’re working flat out 24/7 to keep a lid on it,” Mr Hamilton warned.

Mr Lloyd rejected claims made by hardline Brexiteers — including Jacob Rees-Mogg — that the issue of the border had been seized upon by Remainers seeking political leverage.

“It’s not scaremongering,” he said.

“I genuinely believe that, when you have someone with the gravitas of George Hamilton as the Chief Constable actually warning of the risks, warning that politicians have been sleepwalking into the potential nodeal situation, we’ve got to take his word seriously.

“He’s not a politician. He’s not saying that for my benefit.” Mr Lloyd, who described the Good Friday Agreement as one of the most “profound” and “precious” changes in our society in decades, said it is “impossible” to envisage custom controls and regulation of goods without physical checks on the border.

“Once you do that, we are into a different terrain,” he added. “It’s not a bogus argument.” He also dismissed calls for a second referendum shortly before leader Jeremy Corbyn told delegates attending the party conference that he would be “bound” by the outcome of a vote by Labour members on the issue.

But Mr Corbyn insisted he was not calling for a public vote, and said he believed a general election would be a better way to resolve the political crisis over the nature of the UK’s departure from the EU.

Mr Lloyd branded another vote as an “abnegation” and said he would also prefer an election after each party has set out its stall, giving a clear mandate to the next government.

Meanwhile, a poll found 86% of Labour members think voters should have the final say on the outcome of Brexit negotiations, and 90% would now vote to remain.

As Labour’s conference officially began in Liverpool yesterday, more than 100 constituency parties have submitted motions calling for the issue to be put to a so-called People’s Vote.

Many activists believe that with Mrs May’s plans in disarray following the rejection of her Chequers proposals by EU leaders in Salzburg, the time is now right for Labour to call for a fresh ballot.

Mr Corbyn told the Sunday Mirror: “What comes out of conference I will adhere to.

“But I’m not calling for a second referendum. I hope we will agree that the best way of resolving this is a general election.

“But I was elected to empower the members of the party.

“So if conference makes a decision I will not walk away from it and I will act accordingly.”

There was a similar message from deputy leader Tom Watson, who told The Observer: “Jeremy and I were elected in 2015 to give the Labour Party back to its Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (left) and deputy leader Tom Watson at the Conference in Liverpool yesterday. Left from top: Tony Lloyd and

George Hamilton

members. So if the people’s party decide they want the people to have a final say on the deal, we have to respect the view of our members and we will go out and argue for it.”

However, speaking to BBC Breakfast, shadow housing and communities minister Andrew Gwynne stopped short of repeating his bosses’ support for a People’s Vote if it is the wish of party members.

“Of course we’re a democratic party, but before we get that we want a general election, because this Government has made a complete fist of Brexit, they haven’t been able to negotiate a deal,” he said.

“Ultimately we are not in control of this process right now. We want to be in control of that process. We want to negotiate a Labour Brexit.”

A YouGov survey of more than 1,000 Labour members for The Observer found 86% support a referendum on the outcome of Brexit talks, against just eight per cent who oppose it.

Even in the North and Midlands, where many Labour constituencies voted Leave in 2016, there was overwhelming support — 86% and 88% respectively — for a second vote.

Some 81% believe their standard of living would get worse after Brexit and 89% said it would be bad for jobs.

Tory chairman Brandon Lewis said: “The last pretence that Labour ever respected the democratic decision of the British people is rapidly disappearing.”