Warning to Labour over backing PM’s Brexit deal
NICOLA Sturgeon has warned that if Labour votes for the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal then the people of Scotland will never forgive the party.
The First Minister said she suspects that Labour MPs will allow the deal to pass, and warned of the consequences for the party if it becomes “the handmaidens of Boris Johnson’s Brexit”.
Ms Sturgeon said final decisions on how the SNP plans to vote will not be taken until this morning.
In a briefing with reporters in Westminster, Ms Sturgeon said: “My growing suspicion today is that Labour will allow Boris Johnson to get his deal over the line tomorrow.
“Now I hope I’m wrong about that, but I’m simply surmising from what I’m hearing, you know, piecing things together, it seems to me that it is possible we have a situation where Labour have an official position of opposing this deal, but are giving nods and winks to the so called Labour rebels in the hope that there’s enough of them that allow it over the line.”
She added: “I can’t speak for the rest of the UK, but in Scotland, I don’t think Labour would ever be forgiven for that.
“They’re not in the healthiest of positions anyway, but I think it would be the end for Labour in Scotland if they turn out to be the handmaidens of Boris Johnson’s Brexit.”
Ms Sturgeon dismissed the idea that an extension had been ruled out by the EU, adding: “Theresa May tried this, to sort of bully MPs into seeing it as a choice between her deal and no deal.
“It was a false choice then and it’s a false choice now.
“The alternative to this deal tomorrow is the Benn Act, which would require an extension request. “That’s the law of the land. “So anybody who says that it’s a choice tomorrow between this deal and no deal is frankly not being straight with people.”