Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LABOUR: WE’LL VOTE AGAINST MAY’S BREXIT
Thornberry: Deal fails our six tests
LABOUR will vote against Theresa May’s Brexit deal, the Shadow Foreign Secretary signalled yesterday.
Emily Thornberry said she can’t see Labour’s exit tests being met and predicts a general election this autumn or next spring, suggesting the PM would go.
Mrs May’s Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab was desperate to paint a glowing picture after chatting to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.
Mr Raab said: “While there remain some substantive differences, our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the withdrawal agreement.”
Ministers plan a crunch Commons vote on a deal before Christmas, if Britain seals an EU pact. But Ms Thornberry takes a dim view of the deal, along with many Brexiteers and Remainers. She said: “I can’t see them coming back with a deal that will unite the Tory party, for heaven’s sake.”
She added: “Even if they say ‘this flimsy bit of paper is what you’re going to have to agree to, otherwise there’ll be no deal’ – we’re not going to agree.”
Meanwhile, pro-eu campaigners ramped up demands for another EU vote, focusing on what they say is rising support among health workers.
A People’s Vote campaign survey shows a 19% surge for Remain among doctors, nurses and carers, compared with the 2016 referendum.
In the event of no-deal, 57% of health staff back a second referendum, rising to 59% of doctors.
The online poll of 649 NHS workers comes as 7,868 NHS staff signed a letter demanding a so-called “people’s vote” on any final Brexit deal.
Last night it was reported Bank of England Governor Mark Carney told the PM’S Cabinet that the economy could expect a £16billion boost if Mrs May negotiates a Brexit deal based on her Chequers compromise plan.