We need second referendum, says MP Tony
TONY Lloyd MP has called for a second referendum on leaving the EU, after Labour said they won’t back Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s new Brexit deal.
Mr Johnson faces a fight to get the last minute deal through the House of Commons after key backers the DUP ruled out voting for it.
Speaking on the Victoria Derbyshire show on Thursday morning, the Rochdale MP said his party would not be supporting it either, saying: “Any deal has to go back to the public for a confirmatory vote - a people’s vote to say yes we think it’s a good deal or no we reject it. The Labour party has always said any deal has to have that confirmatory vote.”
As Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Lloyd said it was fundamental for the Labour party that they avoid the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland.
He added: “As an MP for a northern English seat, there are issues that affect Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland in this.
“Issues like, for example, respect for environmental standards. Are we going to see corporations moving in and thinking they can pollute our environment? Are we going to see food standards maintained or are we going to see chlorinated chickens coming in from the United States?”
Mr Johnson insists the UK will leave the EU on October 31 and urged MPs to get behind his deal and ‘get Brexit done.’
However, Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn said the deal was “worse than Theresa May’s” and that Labour would not vote for the deal, including in the special parliamentary session to be held on Saturday.